APC Primaries: Powerful 50 Reps among losers

BEFORE the first shot of the 2027 elections is fired, no fewer than 50 current members of the 10th House of Representatives will not be in the 11th House.

Why? At press time yesterday, no fewer than 48 All Progressives Congress, APC Reps have lost at the primaries held nationwide, over the weekend. 

Two legislators in Bayelsa did not join the race because they are seeking higher political offices.

The figures are expected to be higher because APC is yet to release full results of the primaries and other opposition parties such as the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Labour Party, LP, African Democratic Congress, ADC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA among others are yet to hold their primaries.

However, House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas (Kano), and his Deputy, Benjamin Kalu(Abia), led legislators who won APC return tickets

Leading lawmakers who lost re-election tickets of the APC include Nicholas Mutu(Bomadi/Patani, Delta State, who has been in the House since 1999; and Mike Etaba(Obubra/Etung, Cross River), missed fourth term ticket.

Professor Julius Ihonvbere, the Majority Leader of the House Representatives, is among the non-returning legislators.

Ihonvbere lost the APC ticket for Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State, in Saturday’s primaries. He polled 1,005 votes our of the 7,587 votes cast and came third in the exercise won by Andrew Ijegbia(3,695 votes). The other results are Abdul Oroh (1,740 votes), Barrister Scot(642 votes), and  Honourable Folly (505 votes).

The member representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, lost his bid for a third term.

Results announced by the returning officer, Daspan Ishaya, showed that Dr. John Tongshinen recorded a total of 29,968 votes in the exercise while Gagdi had less than 6000 votes.

Those who returned in Borno are Usman Zannah (Gubio/Kaga/Magumeri); Betara Aliyu (Biu/Shani/Kwaya Kusar/Bayo); Kadiri Rahis (Maiduguri Metropolitan Council); Satomi Ahmed (Jere); Bukar Talba (Marte/Monguno/Nganzai); and Ahmed Jaha (Gwoza/Chibok/Damboa).

Newly elected candidates include Hajja Fati Kakenna (Kukawa/Abadam/Mobbar/Guzamala; Dr. Kaumi Umara Zulum (Mafa/Konduga/Dikwa); Mustapha Abdullahi Babani (Bama/Ngala/Kala-Balge); while Tarpaya Asarya (Askira-Uba/Hawul) was inconclusive.

Surprises in South-South

The primaries produced some surprises across South-South states, as several incumbent members were denied return tickets.

In Bayelsa State, two incumbent members retained the party tickets in Yenagoa/Kolokuma-Opukuma federal constituency, which is Governor Douye Diri’s constituency. The incumbent member, Oforji Oboku, claimed the party’s ticket.

In Southern Ijaw federal constituency, Engr. Rodney Ambaiowei, the incumbent member, also won.

In Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency

Candidate: Bernard Kenebai, a new entrant and current member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, emerged victorious because the incumbent Rep Fred Agbedi, a ranking member, chose to stick with the PDP, where he is aspiring for Bayelsa West Senate seat.

In Ogbia Federal Constituency,Jude Rex Ogbuku won as the incumbent Rep Matema Obodor of the PDP, refused to defect alongside Governor Douye Diri to the APC.

For Nembe/Brass Federal Constituency, Jonathan Robinson Obuebite clinched the APC ticket. The incumbent member,  Marie Ebikake, also chose to remain in the PDP to contest the Bayelsa East Senatorial District.

Mass failure in Cross River

In Cross River State, five of the eight serving Reps lost out.

Among those denied tickets are lawmakers with multiple terms in the National Assembly. They include three-term member, Mike Etaba, representing Obubra/Etung; two-term member, Alex Egbona, representing Abi/Yakurr, who defected to the PDP before the deadline; one-term member, Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala federal constituency; one-term member, Emil Inyang, representing Akamkpa/Biase federal constituency; and one-term member, Bassey Akiba, representing Odukpani/Calabar Municipality.

Three serving Reps, who got return tickets included one-term member, Peter Akpanke, Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku; one-term member, Joseph Bassey, Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South; and one-term member, Victor Abang, representing Ikom/Boki.

In Akwa Ibom, though the APC has not officially announced results, underground reports have it that only Okpolupum Etteh, who represented Eket/Esit Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency, lost out.

In Rivers State, those who lost out include John Azubuike Opara, Air Commodore, retd; Anderson Allison Igbiki, Awaji Imombek Abiante, and Boma Goodhead (currently representing Andoni/Opobo and Asari-Toru federal constituencies respectively in the House of Representatives).

In Delta State, incumbent losers are Nicholas Mutu, Bomadi/Patani; Ngozi Lawrence Okolie, who lost Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency to former House Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu.

In Ekiti State, three incumbent lawmakers crashed out during the party primaries.

Ekiti Central federal constituency II, Oladapo Karounwi, polled 6,573 votes to defeat the incumbent, Abiodun Omoleye, who scored 2,096 votes.

In Ekiti South federal constituency I, Okoro Toyin Zaccheaus scored 9,798 votes to defeat the incumbent, Rufus Adeni Ojuawo, who had 1,842 votes.

In Ekiti North federal constituency II, Ibrahim Olanrewaju also polled 6,856 votes to outwit the incumbent, who scored 2,102 votes.

Aggrieved aspirants reject outcomes, demand fresh poll

Meanwhile, two APC aspirants in the May 16, 2026, House of Representatives primary election in Ekiti State have rejected the election outcome.

They include Teju Okuyiga, vying for Ekiti South federal constituency II and Victor Olumuyiwa Kolade, contesting Ekiti Central federal constituency II.

They said the primaries were flawed and should be cancelled.

In the same vein, Teju Okuyiga polled 1,032 votes, while the incumbent, Richard Bamisile, polled 4,379 votes to reclaim the ticket.

Okuyiga expressed dissatisfaction with the exercise, saying “the electoral process was not followed. Party guidelines for delegate accreditation, voting and collation were openly disregarded in multiple wards.

“Figures were allocated, and results were announced in several wards where no voting took place. No election in most wards. In a significant number of wards across my three constituencies, there was no voting, no ballot papers, and no opportunity for delegates to exercise their franchise.

“The process was manipulated to disenfranchise supporters and undermine my candidacy as the only female aspirant in this race. This was not an election.”

Kolade, who also alleged widespread irregularities, said: “To the best of my knowledge, I would say the exercise is a filthy one. Very filthy exercise, disappointing, and there is nothing encouraging to write home about it.”

5 lawmakers fail to retain tickets in Ogun

In Ogun State, five of the nine serving lawmakers failed to secure tickets to return to the Green Chamber, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Among those who lost their bids were Ishaq Akinlade of Yewa North/Ipokia Federal Constituency; Ibrahim Isiaka, representing Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency and serving as Deputy Chief Whip; Tunji Akinosi of Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency; and Femi Ogunbanwo of Ijebu Ode/Ijebu North East/Odogbolu Federal Constituency.

Tension in Ondo APC as c’ttee split, halts declaration

In Ondo State, tension is brewing in the APC after the seven-member National Assembly Primary Election Committee failed to announce the results of last Saturday’s House of Representatives primaries.

Party sources said disagreements among committee members stalled the process.

The panel, led by Iboroma Harry Dabibi, is said to be under pressure to declare certain aspirants winners, including some earlier disqualified by the party.

A source, who spoke in confidence, explained that the crisis forced the committee’s secretary, Adamu Mohammed Shamaki, and two other members to return to Abuja.

The chairman and remaining members stayed in Akure but could not proceed with announcing results.

The source said: “The secretary protested that the panel does not have the power to announce consensus candidates as desired by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“He insisted the panel should collate findings and submit a report to the National Working Committee.”

The secretary’s whereabouts were initially unclear, but a party leader said he had returned to Abuja to brief the APC NWC.

7 aspirants disqualified

Seven aspirants were disqualified from the race.

They included Adefisoye Tajudeen (Idanre/Ifedore), Olusegun Ategbole (Akoko South West/Akoko South East), Seun Ajongbolo (Akoko South East/Akoko South West), Ayodele Arowole (Owo/Ose), Murufu Ibrahim (Akoko North East/Akoko North West), Oseni Oyeniyi (Akoko North East/Akoko North West), and Olaleye Adedipe (Akoko North East/Akoko North West).

Three of them, Adefisoye, Ategbole, and Arowole, were reportedly among Governor Aiyedatiwa’s consensus candidates and still participated in the primaries.

A party source alleged that political actors acting on the governor’s instruction pressured the committee to declare nine consensus aspirants as winners. 

“They attempted to announce three aspirants as winners in their constituencies, including Abiola Makinde (Ondo West/Ondo East), Wunmi Edet (Akure South/Akure North), and Muyiwa Daramola (Okitipupa/Irele).

“They could not proceed because the secretary and two members had left. No results can be submitted to the NWC without the secretary’s signature.”

Raising further concerns over the presence of APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, at the collation centre, the party source said: “He is not a member of the committee. What was he doing there? Whose interest was he representing? Was he trying to influence the process?”

Primaries in Epe were shambolic, fraudulent- Amure, aspirant

In Lagos State, an aspirant vying for the House of Representatives in the Epe Federal Constituency, Mr Ademola Amure, has called for the nullification of Saturday’s legislative APC primary election in the Constituency, describing the exercise as a “shambolic, massively flawed, and fraudulent” process.

Amure, in a statement by his media team, urged the national leadership of the party to deploy its internal dispute resolution mechanisms to address the alleged irregularities and restore democratic values.

Alleging violence and disenfranchisement during the exercise, the Amure camp stated that what was meant to be an inclusive direct primary exercise on May 16, 2026, devolved into thuggery, voter intimidation, and widespread disenfranchisement.

The statement read: “In Ward F1, gunfire was allegedly used to scare away voters. In Ward E1, voters were allegedly commuted and migrated from Ward F1 to artificially inflate the voter turnout numbers. 

”In Ward E2, thugs allegedly acting on the instructions of another aspirant fired gunshots and ordered anyone not voting for ‘BIA’ to leave the polling station, leading to the cancellation of the exercise.”

In Ward R1, supporters of a council Chairman allegedly weaponised canes to whip out and drive away opposition voters from the designated polling unit.”

Calling on the leadership of the party to intervene, he said: “In any contest, there must be an eventual winner or loser, but for such a contest to stand, it must pass all integrity tests and must also be fair and seen to be fair.”

Results delayed in Osun

The results of the primary election in Osun State is yet to be announced as the Chairman of the committee, Mr Bayo Ayo, said the results from various local government council are still being collated.

The outcome of the result in some federal constituencies is already clear, as the candidates were only affirmed, including in Ijesa-South federal constituency, where Mr Sanya Omirin emerged as the consensus candidate.

Also, in the Iwo federal constituency, Mr Ademola Habeeb emerged as the party’s consensus candidate while Mr Asalu David emerged as the APC consensus candidate for Ede federal constituency.

Dr Obawale Adebisi emerged in Ila federal constituency through consensus and as an incumbent lawmaker, while Mr Taofeek Ajilesoro for Ife federal constituency also emerged through consensus.

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