APC Governorship Aspirants Reject Consensus Deals in 10 States Ahead of Primaries

Ahead of Thursday’s governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress, resistance to consensus arrangements has intensified in at least 10 states, as several aspirants rejected pressure to step down and insisted on testing their popularity at the polls.

The growing opposition comes despite efforts by party leaders and governors to streamline the primaries through endorsements, negotiations, and consensus agreements aimed at avoiding internal crises ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Findings revealed that while incumbent governors in several APC-controlled states have secured consensus backing for second-term tickets, succession battles in states such as Kwara, Gombe, Oyo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Lagos, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Yobe remain fiercely contested.

The APC fixed the cost of its governorship expression of interest form at N10 million and nomination form at N40 million. Reports indicated that the party generated about N5.05 billion from the sale of forms to 101 governorship aspirants nationwide.

The party is expected to conduct governorship primaries in 28 states on Thursday, May 21, while appeals arising from the exercises are scheduled for May 24.

Despite growing resistance in some states, no fewer than 11 governors and sole aspirants have already secured overwhelming support from party structures.

Among those who emerged as consensus candidates are Governors Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Abba Yusuf of Kano, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, Dikko Radda of Katsina, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, and Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi.

Party leaders in the affected states described the consensus arrangements as strategic moves aimed at preserving internal stability and preventing factional crises.

However, consensus efforts suffered a major setback in Kwara State, where 15 aspirants are preparing to challenge Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s preferred candidate, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki.

Governor AbdulRazaq had publicly endorsed Seriki after what he described as extensive consultations with party leaders and stakeholders.

In a statement, the governor described Seriki as “young, pro-people, astute and broad-minded,” adding that he possessed the political reach required to sustain the administration’s achievements.

Despite the endorsement, several aspirants reportedly rejected moves to withdraw from the race, insisting that the governorship ticket should be determined through an open and democratic process.

A senior party official in Ilorin, who spoke anonymously, said many aspirants believed they had invested too much politically to step aside for consensus arrangements.

Kwara currently has the highest number of APC governorship aspirants in the country, with notable contenders including former Senate Leader Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Muhammed Belgore (SAN), Salihu Mustapha, and others.

Oyo State followed closely with 11 governorship aspirants, while Adamawa recorded 10 contenders, reflecting heightened political activity ahead of the primaries.

Notable aspirants in Oyo include former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Senator Sharafadeen Alli; Akeem Agbaje; and Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin.

In Plateau State, retired military officer Yilcini Bida dismissed reports that he had stepped down for Governor Caleb Mutfwang, insisting he remained fully in the race ahead of Thursday’s primary.

Bida promised to focus on infrastructure, economic development, and security reforms if elected governor.

Meanwhile, political negotiations intensified in Lagos State as more aspirants aligned behind Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.

Governorship aspirant Samuel Ajose formally withdrew from the race on Tuesday and declared support for Hamzat, describing the decision as necessary for party unity.

His withdrawal came weeks after former PDP governorship candidate Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, also stepped down and endorsed Hamzat following consultations with APC leaders.

However, businessman and politician Lanre Jim-Kamal has reportedly refused to withdraw from the race.

An APC list obtained by The PUNCH showed that several states recorded only one governorship aspirant, reflecting stronger consensus structures in those chapters.

Political analysts said the contrasting developments across states highlighted the APC’s challenge of balancing internal democracy with political stability ahead of the 2027 elections.

A source at the APC national secretariat noted that while consensus remained the preferred option of party leadership, resistance from aspirants in several states could trigger intense primaries and deepen internal divisions if not properly managed.