2027: APC governors to meet Yilwatda over disputed primaries

Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have reviewed the outcome of the party’s nationwide primaries and resolved to hold a strategic meeting with the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.

The decision was reached during a meeting of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), which ended in the early hours of Tuesday in Abuja.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, told journalists after the meeting that the governors assessed the conduct and outcome of the APC primaries across the country, as well as the party’s performance in the recent Ekiti State governorship election and several by-elections.

The APC’s nationwide primaries held in May were marked by widespread controversy, with allegations of imposition of candidates, manipulation of delegate lists, irregular voting processes and protests by aggrieved aspirants in several states.

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In some states, parallel primaries were conducted by rival factions, while several contestants rejected the results and threatened legal action or defection.

The disputes exposed deep divisions within the ruling party, prompting the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) to review the exercise as part of efforts to reconcile aggrieved members, strengthen party unity and position the APC ahead of the 2027 general election.

According to Uzodimma, the governors expressed satisfaction with the party’s electoral outings, describing the results as encouraging ahead of the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.

“We reviewed the outcome of the primaries across the federation, the Ekiti governorship election and the various by-elections where our party performed impressively,” Uzodimma said.

He disclosed that the forum resolved to engage the APC national leadership, led by Prof. Yilwatda, to harmonise strategies for the next phase of the party’s campaign and strengthen internal cohesion before the general election.

Uzodimma added that beyond electoral preparations, the governors also deliberated on governance and the country’s democratic development, stressing their commitment to ensuring that Nigerians benefit more from APC-led administrations.

“We have resolved to work towards solving the challenges facing our democratic space and ensuring that our people are better off,” he said.

The PGF chairman further reaffirmed the governors’ commitment to working closely with the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to strengthen the party’s structures and improve its readiness for future elections.

Governors from Ekiti, Zamfara, Taraba, Lagos, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom and Borno states, among others, attended the meeting.