APC Primaries: Mixed Results, Protests as Candidates Emerge Across States

The All Progressives Congress conducted governorship and legislative primaries across several states on Wednesday, producing a mix of returning and new candidates through consensus and direct voting, while allegations of irregularities and protests trailed the exercises in some regions.

In Kaduna State, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dahiru Liman; his deputy, Magaji Danjuma; and the Majority Leader, Munira Tanimu, secured their tickets through consensus affirmation. Several other aspirants withdrew from the race and endorsed consensus candidates following consultations with Governor Uba Sani.

In Lagos, actor-turned-lawmaker Desmond Elliot lost his bid to return to the State House of Assembly, polling just 270 votes against Barakat Bakare who secured 11,355 votes. Elliot alleged intimidation, exclusion, and procedural irregularities, withdrawing his agents midway through the exercise. Meanwhile, Ganiyu Egunjobi emerged for Agege Constituency I, and Mudasiru Obasa secured the ticket for Agege Federal Constituency.

In Kogi, Emmanuel Obaro clinched the ticket for Yagba East State Constituency after winning all 10 wards.

In Delta, Speaker Emomotimi Guwor emerged as candidate for Warri South-West, while Deputy Speaker Arthur Akpowowo also secured victory for Ethiope East. Other winners included Orobosa Ashakah, Lucky Idhoveh, and Ferguson Onwo.

In Ogun, primaries were held peacefully across all 26 constituencies, with Governor Dapo Abiodun participating in Ikenne. Speaker Daisi Elemide secured 2,115 votes through consensus.

In Edo, Deputy Speaker Atu Osawonyi lost his re-election bid to Ikpomwonsa Aitusi, while former Deputy Speaker Yekini Idiaye also lost. Speaker Blessing Agbebaku won his primary. Incumbent lawmakers Esosa Iyawe, Marcus Onobum, and Senator Neda Imasuen submitted protest petitions over alleged irregularities.

In Benue, Deputy Speaker Lami Danladi-Ogenyi won the Ado constituency primary, while former Speaker Hyacinth Dajoh withdrew from the Gboko West primary, citing lack of transparency, and later defected to the PDP.

In Kwara, the party cleared all 159 aspirants for State Assembly tickets after reversing an earlier disqualification of more than half. However, some aspirants for the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency ticket rejected the outcome of the May 16 primary, alleging widespread irregularities and a flawed consensus arrangement.

In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule won the senatorial primary for Nasarawa North with 47,393 votes, defeating former Deputy Governor Silas Ali Agara. Faisal Shuaib emerged for Nasarawa West through affirmation. Meanwhile, concerned APC members protested alleged irregularities in House of Representatives and senatorial primaries across the state, citing missing election materials and late arrival of officials.

In Ondo, aspirant Monday Akinyomi petitioned President Bola Tinubu over alleged manipulation of the primary for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, claiming no election was held. Another aspirant, Alex Ajipe, rejected the outcome of the Ondo North senatorial primary, alleging vote allocation in four local government areas.

In Cross River, two aspirants for the Central Senatorial District, Eteng Jones Williams and Mary Ekpere, rejected circulating results, insisting that no primary election took place across the 66 wards.

In Jigawa, the party adopted consensus to pick 30 flagbearers for the State House of Assembly, with Speaker Haruna Dangyatim returning alongside 17 other incumbents and 11 new faces.

The primaries also recorded peaceful exercises in several other states, though petitions and protests continued to trail the process in many locations as party stakeholders called for transparency and adherence to democratic principles.