Uncertainty may be mounting within the ruling All Progressives Congress over its preferred consensus strategy for the 2027 elections, with party sources indicating that direct primaries may be adopted in states where “agreements prove difficult.”
It was gathered that the party may abandon its consensus strategy in some states as deepening rivalries and stalled negotiations threaten party cohesion.
Instead, the party is considering adopting direct primaries to ensure peace among the warring camps in the affected state chapters.
This is happening as the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission for political parties to submit the list of candidates nears.
As such, barring any last-minute change of mind, the APC is set to unveil its timetable for the primary elections for aspirants seeking to contest in the 2027 National Assembly, governorship and presidential elections.
Multiple APC chieftains confirmed to The PUNCH that the National Chairman of the party, Nentawe Yilwatda, ran the timetable by President Bola Tinubu over the weekend.
Having been cleared by the President, the party is set to unveil it on Monday (today), all things being equal.
The party is racing to conclude all primary elections and submit the list of candidates to INEC before the deadline set by the commission.
While consensus candidates for governorship positions have been concluded in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states, the party is yet to reach a solid agreement on consensus governorship candidates in other states, especially those where the governors are in their second term.
Findings show the APC is still struggling to strike a deal on its consensus governorship candidates in Nasarawa, Kwara, Adamawa, Yobe and Bauchi. There are indications that the President may step in to resolve the impasse in Nasarawa, Kwara and Adamawa States.
Although consensus governorship candidates are yet to be announced in other states like Borno and Yobe, party sources said the party is not expecting hitches in the two states.
A top APC chieftain, who is close to the development, said, “Consultations and negotiations are still ongoing on coming up with consensus governorship candidates in other states aside from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo that have been concluded.
“We are giving preference to the governors. The incumbent governors will be allowed to choose their successors. However, where there are disagreements with the governor’s candidate, as is the case in some states currently, we will go into direct primaries.”
Other party chieftains told The PUNCH that while governors defecting to the APC will be allowed to choose their successors, APC chieftains in the state would be allowed to nominate candidates for NASS positions.
