2027: APC Rejects Calls to Review Primaries, Moves to Submit Candidates’ Names to INEC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed calls for a review of its recently concluded primaries, insisting that the outcomes remain final despite protests and petitions from aggrieved aspirants across the country.

According to Sunday Punch party officials disclosed that the APC has completed the process of compiling the names of successful candidates and is preparing to submit them to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to senior party sources on conditions of anonymity, the period for conducting primaries and entertaining appeals has elapsed, leaving no room for a fresh review of the results.

INEC is expected to release access codes for its candidate nomination portal on June 26, while July 11 has been fixed as the deadline for the submission of candidates’ details.

The APC leadership source maintained that most of the petitions received after the primaries lacked merit and did not warrant any significant alteration to the results already announced.

Several aspirants who lost during the primaries, particularly in states such as Lagos, Delta, Zamfara, Kogi, Rivers, Plateau and Osun, had challenged the process, alleging manipulation and imposition of candidates.

Among the notable petitions is that of Senator Ned Nwoko, who is reportedly contesting the victory of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the Delta North Senatorial District primary. Nwoko is said to be questioning Okowa’s eligibility based on his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

In Rivers State, some party members have also raised concerns over the emergence of Kingsley Chinda as the APC governorship candidate. However, party officials insist that membership issues remain internal matters and that any aspirant whose name appears in the party register is eligible to participate in its activities.

Meanwhile, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has denied reports suggesting that President Bola Tinubu intervened in disputes arising from the primaries. A party official described such claims as false, stating that neither the President nor officials of the Presidency had directed the party to review any primary election outcome, the anonymous source disclosed.