As the date set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of party primaries inches closer, the process for the selection of candidates is assuming a new dimension as the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears bent on deciding its candidates. The parties, going by INEC timetable, are supposed to conduct their primaries between April 23 to May 30, 2026. More than a week to the official date for the commencement, however, our correspondents have observed a recurring trend in the ruling party, where the predominant option has been by consensus though analysts have raised concerns about the process.

Though the primaries for Ekiti and Osun off-cycle elections holding this year have already been concluded, the processes through which the candidates emerged have raised concerns. In Osun, the immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Bola Oyebamiji emerged as the candidate of the party after an initial rejection by one of the major aspirants, Senator Iyiola Omisore. Birth attendants: Inside women’s struggle between affordability and survival Benue attack: ‘How abductors captured us’ Omisore and six others were disqualified to pave way for Oyebamiji, leading to Omisore challenging his disqualification in court.

In Ekiti, four aspirants, Oyebanji, Mrs Atinuke Oluremi Omolayo, Engr Kayode Ojo, and Mrs Abimbola Olajumoke Olawunmi initially sought the APC ticket but the state governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, clinched the ticket to seek a second term in office through a consensus arrangement after Mrs Omolayo stepped down. Since then, the APC seems to have adopted a pattern where influential members of the party are allowed to cajole, coax or intimidate other aspirants to bury their aspirations for some chosen persons. About a week to the official commencement of primaries, no less than three APC states have made their preferred candidates known either directly or through third parties.

Apart from that, the party has long given the indication that it has already made concession to governors who defected from other parties to the APC, to offer them tickets for second term as this was said to be part of the agreement reached with them to get them into the ruling party. Defectors to the party include: Governors of Delta, Sheriff Oborevwori; Plateau, Caleb Muftwang; Akwa Ibom; Umoh Eno; Enugu, Peter Mbah; Kano; Abba Kabir Yusuf; Zamfara, Dauda Lawal; Taraba, Agbu Kefas and Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara. This is already causing ripples in the state chapters of the party as those who had made huge investment to contest the seat before the agreements were made to allow the defecting governors automatic ticket are grumbling, Weekend Trust gathered.

In states like Kano and Plateau, the arrangement did not go down well with party stalwarts initially who saw the coming of the sitting governors as capable of altering the arrangements on ground, while in Rivers, the atmosphere is still not clear as Fubara does not appear to be part of the deal to secure an automatic ticket, as despite his defection, he is yet to be formally received into the party. Our correspondents report that what is going in states where the party is either in opposition or where the governors are not seeking second terms are even more fierce. The Electoral Act 2026 (as amended) states under Sections 84–88, that parties can elect their candidates either through direct primaries or consensus, setting aside the option of voting through party delegates.

Many members of the party have, however, challenged what is going on within the APC. They prefer the direct primaries option as they say consensus is open to manipulation. Former chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State and an APC stalwart, Cafra Caino, is against applying the consensus option across board.

He said using consensus across board for governorship, National Assembly seats, and others, can create problems. “If the APC wants to avoid trouble going into 2027, it needs to be careful about how candidates emerge at the lower levels. Direct primaries, for all its challenges, tends to produce better outcomes.

“People feel involved. When members can actually vote in primaries, they are more likely to stay committed to the party and its candidates,” he stated. He added: “Consensus often leaves people unhappy, even if they don’t say it openly.

That kind of dissatisfaction usually shows up later during campaigns or even on election day.” Previous push for automatic tickets Our correspondents had previously reported a push by National Assembly lawmakers for automatic tickets where several meetings were reportedly held between the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives and the APC leadership regarding the request. A source familiar with the meetings told Weekend Trust that while there have been “fruitful deliberations,” talks will continue early next week before the commencement of the primaries. The source added that APC le