APC moves to pacify aggrieved aspirants with campaign appointments, others

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun a quiet reconciliation process to pacify aggrieved aspirants who lost out in the party’s governorship, National Assembly and state assembly primaries, with plans to compensate many of them through appointments into campaign structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Top party sources told BusinessDay that although no formal compensation has been announced, discussions are ongoing within the party’s leadership to accommodate dissatisfied aspirants in national and state campaign councils as part of efforts to prevent defections and restore unity before campaigns begin.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed August 19 for the commencement of Presidential and National Assembly campaigns, while campaigns for Governorship and State Assembly electioneering will begin on September 9. The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, with Governorship and State Assembly polls slated for February 6.

The APC primaries, conducted between April and May, were marred by allegations of manipulation, imposition of candidates and widespread petitions. The controversy deepened after the party substituted several candidates who had emerged from the primaries, fuelling accusations of a lack of internal democracy.

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Among those affected were former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam; former House of Representatives member, Gbenga Elegbeleye and 24 other National Assembly aspirants whose names were dropped from the party’s final list submitted to INEC.

Among the major changes, the serving senator for Benue North East, Emmanuel Memga Udende replaced Gabriel Suswam, while Titus Tartenger Zam took the Benue North West ticket in place of Benjamin T. Aber.

In Ondo State, Gbenga Elegbeleye lost the Ondo North Senatorial ticket to Olajide Ipinsagbe, while Adeniyi Adegbonmire replaced Taiwo Fasorati as the party’s candidate for Ondo Central.

Other Senatorial changes saw Senator Sunday Karimi replace Aro Samuel Bamidele in Kogi West, Prince Paul Ikonne emerge for Abia South in place of Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu, and Shuibu Isa Lau replace Mohammed Kabir Bello in Taraba North.

The review also resulted in widespread changes to the party’s House of Representatives candidates. Benue recorded five substitutions, while six federal constituency candidates were replaced in Ondo, including Donald Ojogo, who emerged for Ilaje/Ese-Odo, and Festus Olarewaju, who secured the Idanre ticket.

The changes, approved by the National Working Committee (NWC), affected seven Senatorial Districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies across Benue, Ondo, Kogi, Abia, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi States.

Defending the exercise, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said the substitutions followed due process after the party reviewed more than 700 petitions filed by aggrieved aspirants.

“These petitions were reviewed by the appeal committees. Recommendations were made to the National Working Committee, which also reviewed the reports and re-evaluated the cases. At the end, we made the changes being discussed. These are legitimate outcomes of our primaries,” Morka said during an interview on Arise News in Tuesday.

A member of the APC NWC, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that the party was working on a political settlement for affected aspirants.

“For now, there is no compensation yet. We are still navigating how we can pacify aggrieved aspirants and calm them from defecting. But before the campaigns commence, we intend to appoint some into the national or state campaign councils. Others could serve as campaign directors or directors-general,” the source said.

Another senior party source said the reconciliation strategy extends beyond campaign appointments.

“Many of the aggrieved aspirants will be accommodated during the healing process. Political compensation comes in different forms. Some could eventually become heads of government agencies or receive other strategic appointments after the 2027 elections, depending on their pedigree and contributions to the party,” the source added.

The reconciliation efforts build on the High-Powered Committee on Strategy, Conflict Resolution and Mobilisation inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu in December 2025 to strengthen internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 elections.

At the state level, APC chapters in Oyo and Kwara have already constituted reconciliation committees to engage dissatisfied members, while similar initiatives are expected in other states.

Nentawe Yilwatda, APC National Chairman, has also repeatedly stressed that the party remains committed to pursuing reconciliation that would “heal the wounds” created by the contentious primary process and position the ruling party for a united campaign ahead of the 2027 polls.