The All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently engulfed in an internal crisis as pre-primary screening panels across several states have disqualified over 150 aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As of today, May 13, 2026, tension is high at APC secretariats nationwide, with disqualified candidates alleging “imposition” and “orchestrated sidelining.”
The mass disqualifications have hit multiple states, but the crisis is most intense in Rivers and Ondo states.
- Rivers State Crisis: In a major move, the APC screening committee in Rivers disqualified 65 aspirants while clearing only 33. Notably, all 32 aspirants loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara (including former factional speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo) were reportedly disqualified. Meanwhile, 28 serving members of the State House of Assembly loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike were cleared.
- National Scope: Over 150 aspirants across at least ten states have been affected. Many were disqualified on grounds ranging from “incomplete documentation” to “anti-party activities,” though aggrieved candidates claim these are “flimsy excuses” to favor preferred loyalists.
The “crackdown” has triggered a wave of pushback:
- Legal Action: Dozens of disqualified aspirants have already filed petitions with the APC Screening Appeal Committees. Many have threatened to head to the Federal High Court to stop the party’s primaries if the decisions aren’t reversed.
- Petitions and Accusations: Stakeholders have raised alarms that the National Working Committee (NWC) is being influenced by “power holders” to plant loyalists on the Primary Election Committees, effectively shutting out grassroots-backed candidates.
- The “Imposition” Narrative: In states like Ondo, high-profile figures have warned that disqualifying popular grassroots leaders without specific communicated offenses could lead to a disastrous “backlash” during the 2027 polls.
Party officials, including Dr. Abdul Mahmud (Chairman of the Rivers State Appeal Panel), have maintained that the process is being conducted professionally. They emphasize that the screening is a standard procedure to ensure that only candidates who meet the party’s constitutional requirements represent the APC at the polls.
