By Jude Opara
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released the list of Senate and House of Representatives candidates that will represent the party in the forthcoming 2027 elections.
The list which was jointly signed on Monday, June 29 by the National Chairman, Prof. Nantawe Yilwatda and the National Secretary, Dr. Ajibola Basiru was sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, in line with the recommendations of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended).
In the letter to INEC sighted by our Reporter, the party reversed some of the positions it earlier took by replacing some of the candidates with new ones.
According to the said letter to INEC, the party claimed that the action was taken after a careful review of the report of its Appeal Committee which it said recommended for the change of some of the candidates whose names were already accepted as the winners of the primaries in their various constituencies.
Top on the casualty list include,- former governor of Benue state, Sen. Gabriel Suswam from Benue North East, who has been replaced with Sen. Emmanuel Udende. In the Benue North West, Benjamin Aber was changed with Titus Tartenger Zam. Also a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye had his ambition of progressing to the Red Chambers cut short as his name was suddenly replaced with that of Sen. Olajide Ipinsagbe now represents Ondo North Senatorial zone. Similarly, for the Ondo Central Senatorial zone, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti was replaced with Sen. Adeniyi Adegbonmire.
For the Kogi West Senatorial zone, Aro Samuel Bamidele was dropped for Sen. Sunday Karimi. In Abia South, Erondu Uchenna’s name has been replaced with that of Prince Paul Ikonne.
In Taraba North Senatorial District, Mohammed Kabir Bello who initially thought he won was replaced with Sen. Shuaibu Isa Lau, while in race to the House of Representatives, the party equally changed the names of several candidates in about nine states so far made available.
The statement reads in parts: “ Following the determination of appeals from the recently concluded primary elections, the reports of the Appeal Committees were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the party’s final position on the affected constituencies.
“In accordance with the Electoral Act 2022 ( as amended), and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines, we hereby transmit an enclosed list of approved candidates for the seven (7) Senatorial candidates and nineteen (19) House of Representatives Constituencies for your records and necessary action”.
However, sources at the National Secretariait of the party revealed that the NWC came up with this list following intense pressure it has been receiving not only from the aggrieved aspirants, but also the governors and the presidency.
According to our source, this development may not yet be uhuru for the leadership of the party because, most of those whose names have now been removed are yet to get the clear picture and may most likely ask the party to refund their nomination and expression of interest forms fees because they knew it was a consensus arrangement they were going to do from the beginning.
It could be recalled that the party had promised all the incumbents that they would be given the opportunity to have the party’s ticket in their respective states and constituencies.
Our source added that due to the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun the issuance of the code to the political parties to upload the names of their candidates, the aspirants, who are yet to know their fate have been besieging the National Secretariait, to demand that their names be uploaded as candidates.
“I tell you, there will likely be more protests in the coming days because most of those who had the impression that they would be candidates have now have their names removed and other people included. It’s left to be seen how the party will maneuver this development”, concluded the source who pleaded anonymity.
