Fresh cracks have emerged within the ruling following the disqualification of more than 150 aspirants during ongoing pre-primary screening exercises across several states ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The screening process, designed to trim the number of aspirants before party primaries, has triggered widespread protests, petitions, threats of litigation, and accusations of candidate imposition in states including Taraba, Kano, Jigawa, Benue, Kogi, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Rivers, Plateau, Anambra, Abia, Gombe, and Zamfara.
Investigations revealed that many aggrieved aspirants and their supporters are preparing appeals and possible court actions, alleging irregularities, lack of transparency, and manipulation by influential party leaders.
In Taraba State, controversy followed the endorsement of incumbent lawmakers after the screening exercise. The decision sparked resistance in Taraba North Senatorial District, where youth groups and stakeholders rejected the endorsement of Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau.
A political stakeholder from Karim Lamido Local Government Area, Paul Penuel, criticised the senator’s performance, insisting there was little to justify another term in office. Another constituent, Dickson Kwinde, warned that repeating what he described as a political mistake could alienate voters in the district.
The Coalition of Concerned Youths and Voice of the Proletariat in Karim Lamido also opposed the endorsement, declaring that the senator had failed to deliver meaningful representation.
Party insiders disclosed that some dissatisfied aspirants had already begun preparing petitions against the screening outcome, accusing party leaders of favouring consensus candidates without broad consultation.
In Kano State, at least 20 aspirants contesting for Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assembly tickets were reportedly screened out despite earlier consensus negotiations.
Among those affected were former Head of Service Usman Bala, former lawmaker Sha’aban Sharada, Muhammad Zango, Danyaro Yakasai, Abbas Abbas, Shehu Driver, and A.A. Zaura in the Kano Central Senatorial race.
The state APC Publicity Secretary, Auwal Soja, however, confirmed that six aspirants later stepped down for former governor Ibrahim Shekarau after reconciliation meetings aimed at preserving unity within the party.
Despite the arrangement, protests persisted, with a group known as the Coalition for Better Kano faulting the endorsement of Shekarau and insisting that loyal party members should not be sidelined for political convenience.
Efforts to calm tensions reportedly suffered setbacks after some stakeholders boycotted reconciliation meetings organised by Governor Abba Yusuf.
In Jigawa State, the fallout from the screening exercise led to resignation and defection. Former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Isah Idris, resigned from the APC after allegedly being disqualified and replaced by another aspirant.
In his resignation letter, Idris accused the party of abandoning its founding ideals before later defecting to the opposition .
Other influential figures, including former Speaker Idris Garba and serving lawmaker Abubakar Sadiq, were also reportedly edged out during the exercise, deepening concerns over internal divisions.
Benue State witnessed similar unrest after about 40 House of Assembly aspirants were reportedly disqualified during screening in Makurdi. Supporters accused the party of violating zoning arrangements and excluding certain blocs from representation.
In Kogi State, allegations emerged that nomination forms were selectively distributed to preferred aspirants under what critics described as a “Commando arrangement.”
A party chieftain, Chief Femi Olugbemi, accused the leadership of abandoning internal democracy and shutting out aspirants with strong grassroots support.
The controversy has raised fears of mass defections and possible legal disputes within the state chapter.
In Anambra State, the APC expelled 30 members, including Senate and House of Representatives aspirants, over legal actions instituted against the party.
State Publicity Secretary Valentine Iyiegbu said the expulsions were in line with the party constitution, adding that affected members would only be reconsidered if they withdrew their court cases.
Kaduna State also witnessed controversy despite reports that House of Assembly screening ended peacefully under consensus arrangements. Disputes erupted over attempts to impose consensus candidates for National Assembly positions, particularly in Kaduna Central Senatorial District.
Former lawmaker and activist is reportedly being favoured as a consensus candidate, a move strongly rejected by former Speaker Yusuf Zailani and activist Yarima Shettima.
Both camps warned against attempts to impose candidates on party members.
In Ebonyi State, disqualified aspirants expressed dissatisfaction with the process, with Senate hopeful Chief Christian Nwali resigning from the APC after losing out in the consensus arrangement adopted by the party.
The situation was more dramatic in Rivers State, where 65 aspirants were disqualified by the APC House of Assembly Screening Appeal Committee, while only 33 were cleared.
Chairman of the appeal panel, Dr Abdul Mahmud, disclosed during a briefing in Port Harcourt that the committee had received numerous petitions from aggrieved aspirants.
Mahmud criticised the party for failing to officially communicate disqualification decisions to aspirants, noting that many only discovered their status through social media posts.
He advised the party to improve communication by directly notifying aspirants through text messages or WhatsApp rather than leaving them to rely on unofficial reports.
In Plateau State, anxiety continued to mount as aspirants awaited the official release of screening results. Some aspirants claimed they had been verbally informed of their disqualification without any formal communication from the party.
Party insiders warned that unresolved grievances could reopen long-standing factional divisions within the state chapter.
Meanwhile, the APC chapters in Imo, Abia, Gombe, and Zamfara states said screening exercises were either ongoing or awaiting official publication of results.
Political analysts warned that the growing reliance on consensus arrangements, coupled with widespread disqualifications and screening controversies, could threaten party unity ahead of the 2027 elections if grievances are not properly addressed.
They noted that the unfolding crisis reflects the broader struggle within the APC between maintaining party control and preserving internal democracy as preparations for the general elections intensify.
