North-Central APC Forum Rejects Primary Elections for Incumbent Governors
A powerful faction within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected a proposal that incumbent governors must face competitive primary elections to secure the party’s nomination for the 2027 polls. The stance directly challenges recent comments by National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who stated there would be no “automatic tickets” for any aspirant.
The North-Central APC Forum, representing a key geopolitical zone, issued a statement asserting that requiring governors seeking re-election to undergo primaries would be disrespectful and destabilising. It described governors as the party’s “biggest assets” and argued that challenging them in primaries would undermine party unity and create openings for opposition parties.
The Forum cited historical precedent, noting that since the APC’s formation, presidential candidates and returning governors have traditionally been nominated unopposed. “In 2019 nobody contested primary election with late former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the returning APC governors went non-opposed. So why is that supposed to change now?” the statement questioned.
The group warned the National Executive Committee (NEC) that opening governorship primaries to contestants in states with incumbent governors would “create disunity and crisis.” It alleged that opposition parties could infiltrate such primaries to field “proxy” candidates who would campaign against the incumbent in the general election, thereby weakening the APC’s prospects.
However, the Forum clarified that it supports primary elections in states where a governor is term-limited and a new candidate must be selected. It made a distinction between re-election contests and open seats.
The statement also defended a separate practice of governors controlling party structures at state and local levels ahead of congresses. This counters warnings from former APC official Yekini Nabena, who said ceding control to governors would alienate grassroots members. The Forum countered that governors are inherently the state leaders of the APC, and any attempt to alter this “will only lead to anarchy because the governors will resist such.”
The internal dispute highlights significant tension within the APC over candidate selection strategies ahead of the 2027 elections. The Forum’s intervention pressures national leadership to maintain the long-standing practice of privileging incumbents, framing it as essential for party cohesion and electoral success. The outcome of this debate could significantly influence the party’s unity and performance in the next electoral cycle.
