The House of Representatives primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections have ignited one of the most intense internal political crises in recent years, with at least 26 serving lawmakers losing return tickets.
Several other aspirants were disqualified, and multiple withdrawals were recorded amid allegations of manipulation, imposition, and consensus engineering.
From Rivers, Edo, Imo, Lagos, Kwara, Benue, Ekiti, Plateau, to Cross Rivers, the primaries exposed widening fractures within the ruling party, as governors, power blocs, and political godfathers wrestled for control of candidacies, sidelining several sitting legislators.
The fallout has already triggered threats of litigation, with aggrieved lawmakers insisting the primaries fell short of democratic standards.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, confirmed that 14 aspirants were disqualified during screening, stating that they “failed to scale the party’s screening exercise conducted in line with established procedures and guidelines.”
However, he did not provide specific reasons.
Among those affected were four serving lawmakers, Iduma Igariwey (Ebonyi), Awaji-Inombek Abiante (Rivers), Anderson Allison (Rivers) and Boma Goodhead (Rivers).
Other affected aspirants are Adefisoye Tajudeen, Olusegun Ategbole, Seun Ajongbolo, Arowole Ayodeji, Morufu Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi, Olaleye Adedipe, Bashir Bello, Sanni Ogembe and retired Air Commodore John Opara.
The disqualification of Rivers lawmakers further intensified tensions in the state’s APC structure, already divided between camps loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and those aligned with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The party qualified four aspirants, including former Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo.
Harry-Banigo, who served as deputy governor under former governor and current FCT Minister, Wike, is the serving senator representing Rivers West Senatorial District.
Also disqualified were former presidential aspirant, Tein Jackrich; Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree; and former Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo.
Danagogo is widely regarded as an ally of Governor Fubara and had served in the governor’s administration before the political crisis in Rivers escalated.
Party insiders linked the disqualifications to the ongoing political struggle between camps loyal to Wike and those supporting Fubara ahead of the 2027 elections.
The APC, however, cleared figures widely viewed as allies of Wike, including former PDP state chairman, Felix Obuah, and Senator Allwell Onyesoh.
The Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, said the list had been approved by the party’s national secretariat and advised members “to take note and comply accordingly.”
But party loyalists in Rivers accused the leadership of weaponising the screening process.
One party source alleged, “The screening process is being used to settle political scores ahead of 2027. It is no longer about competence or popularity.”
One of the biggest upsets came in Edo State, where House Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere lost his Owan Federal Constituency ticket to former Commissioner for Mining, Andrew Ijegbai.
Ihonvbere rejected the result outright, declaring, “I did not lose the election. They did not even come to the field. They wrote some meaningless results and abused the returning officer to make an announcement.”
He added firmly, “I’m a party man. So, I will go to appeal.”
Another Edo lawmaker, Esosa Iyawe, also lost the Oredo ticket to former Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu. He alleged widespread irregularities, stating, “The process fell far short of the democratic standards and directives laid down by President Bola Tinubu.
“Some of my supporters were assaulted and prevented from participating freely.”
Party loyalists in the state accused the APC leadership of weaponising the screening process to settle political scores ahead of the 2027 elections.
Iyawe, who defected from the Labour Party to the APC in 2024, rejected the result and alleged widespread irregularities and violence.
According to him, the adoption of consensus arrangements in most wards disenfranchised party members and violated provisions of the Electoral Act.
Henry Okojie emerged unopposed as the party’s candidate for Esan North East/Esan South East Federal Constituency.
