The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been hit by one of its most disruptive internal political upheavals in recent years after more than 70 serving federal lawmakers failed to secure return tickets in the party’s primaries held across Nigeria between 17 and 19 May 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The primaries, conducted in senatorial districts and federal constituencies across at least 20 states, produced widespread defeats for sitting senators and members of the House of Representatives, reflecting deep internal divisions, zoning disputes, and fierce contestations between party blocs at state and national levels.
According to collation reports from the party’s returning officers and verified national media coverage, the losses affected lawmakers across Delta, Edo, Benue, Imo, Kogi, Kaduna, Katsina, Ekiti, Plateau, Nasarawa, Rivers, and other states, with several high-profile incumbents either defeated outright, disqualified, or replaced through consensus arrangements.
Among the most notable outcomes, Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North lost his return ticket in a decisive primary contest, while in Edo State, Senator Neda Imasuen was defeated by former House of Representatives member Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama. In Kogi East, Senator Jibrin Isah, popularly known as “Echocho,” was also defeated in a tightly contested exercise.
In Benue State, the internal party battle between factions aligned with Governor Hyacinth Alia and the camp of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, led to multiple sitting lawmakers losing their tickets. Two serving House members, including Terseer Ugbor and David Ogewu, were among those defeated during the primaries. Party insiders described the Benue exercise as one of the most politically charged in the country.
In Plateau State, the process turned violent in parts of Mangu Local Government Area, where at least one person, identified as Sani Abdullahi, was reportedly killed during clashes linked to disruptions at a primary venue. The incident followed delays and disputes over electoral officer deployment, which triggered protests by party members.
In Imo State, at least four serving House of Representatives members lost their return tickets in primaries conducted using the Option A4 voting system. Those affected included Miriam Onuoha and Harrison Nwadike, reflecting a significant reshaping of the state’s APC legislative representation.
In Ekiti State, several incumbents were displaced amid allegations of irregularities, intimidation, and exclusion of delegates. Lawmakers such as Niyi Ojuawo and Akinlayo Kolawole lost their tickets, while others rejected results outright, claiming that consensus arrangements undermined internal democracy.
In Nasarawa State, two sitting House members, Mohammed Ari and Jeremiah Umaru, failed to secure re-nomination, while in Delta State, veteran lawmaker Nicholas Mutu, who had served since 1999, lost his ticket in a major upset.
Katsina and Kebbi States also witnessed widespread losses due to consensus arrangements, which reportedly sidelined several incumbents including Sani Danlami and Abubakar Kusada in Katsina, as well as Mansur Musa Jega in Kebbi, who lost out after a former Comptroller-General emerged as consensus candidate.
In Jigawa State, four serving lawmakers were displaced during the exercise, while in Kano, consensus arrangements were used to streamline candidates in what party officials described as efforts to reduce internal conflict.
Across multiple states, party officials cited a combination of factors behind the sweeping losses, including anti-incumbency sentiment, zoning arrangements, internal rivalries, and the increasing influence of governors and political power blocs in determining ticket allocations.
The introduction of stricter electoral and party regulations ahead of the primaries also played a significant role. Analysts point to the impact of the amended Electoral Act 2026, particularly provisions limiting party switching and tightening nomination procedures, which reduced political flexibility for sitting lawmakers.
While the APC leadership has yet to publish a consolidated official list of affected lawmakers, aggregated reports from major Nigerian media outlets indicate that more than 70 incumbents across both chambers of the National Assembly failed to secure return tickets, making it one of the largest legislative turnovers in the party’s recent history.
Reactions from affected lawmakers have been mixed. Some have rejected the outcomes, alleging manipulation, intimidation, and imposition of candidates, while others have called for legal review or reconciliation within the party. In several constituencies, supporters staged protests following the announcement of results, further highlighting the intensity of the internal crisis.
Party officials, however, have defended the process, insisting that the primaries followed established guidelines and reflected the will of delegates and stakeholders in each constituency. The APC leadership maintains that internal democracy was upheld despite isolated disputes and controversies.
The scale of the losses has raised concerns within political circles about the stability of the APC caucus in the National Assembly ahead of the 2027 elections. Analysts suggest that the outcome could significantly alter legislative dynamics, weaken established political networks, and potentially trigger defections to opposition parties.
Political observers also note that the primaries exposed long-standing tensions within the ruling party, particularly between state governors, federal lawmakers, and national power brokers competing for control over candidacy selection.
As the dust settles, attention is shifting to how the APC will manage reconciliation, contain dissatisfaction among displaced lawmakers, and prevent fragmentation ahead of a crucial election cycle that will test the party’s internal cohesion and national dominance.
Political observers say the scale of incumbents losing tickets is not only a product of routine party competition but also reflects deeper strategic repositioning within the ruling party. Some analysts argue that influential blocs may be deliberately reshaping the legislature to install more loyal candidates ahead of the next electoral cycle, while others view it as a correction against long-serving incumbents accused of weakening grassroots engagement.
There is also speculation in political circles that certain state-level actors used consensus arrangements to consolidate control over candidate selection, effectively reducing the influence of federal lawmakers in their constituencies. However, no official evidence has been presented to substantiate coordinated national-level engineering of outcomes, and party leaders continue to insist that the primaries were conducted democratically.
For now, the outcome remains one of the most consequential internal political developments in recent Nigerian electoral history, with implications that are likely to shape both party structure and national legislative balance heading into 2027.
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