The All Progressives Congress successfully produced governorship candidates in 25 states during Thursday’s primaries, but the exercise was overshadowed by crises, protests, delays and political withdrawals in several parts of the country.
While incumbent governors and consensus-backed aspirants secured victories in states including Delta, Lagos, Kaduna, Enugu, Ogun and Rivers, the governorship primaries in Kwara and Bauchi were postponed following rising tensions over alleged attempts to influence the process.
The APC National Working Committee announced that the governorship primaries in Kwara and Bauchi would now hold on Friday, while assembly primaries in two constituencies in Zamfara were shifted to Sunday.
According to the party, the postponements followed consultations with stakeholders and were aimed at ensuring a transparent, peaceful and credible process.
Despite the official explanation, the development immediately fuelled suspicions among party members, especially in Kwara and Bauchi, where allegations of candidate imposition and political manipulation dominated discussions.
In Kwara State, the political drama centred on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s preferred aspirant, Yahaya Seriki.
Hours after the postponement was announced, no fewer than eight governorship aspirants stepped down from the race and endorsed Seriki following late-night consultations among party leaders.
Before the postponement was officially communicated, party supporters had already gathered across several wards waiting for electoral officials and voting materials.
At some centres in Ilorin, physically challenged APC members remained at the venues for hours hoping the exercise would begin.
“We are here to exercise our civic rights as loyal party members,” a visually impaired party supporter, Abubakar Gobir, said.
In Bauchi State, supporters of governorship aspirant Nura Soro staged protests at the hotel where members of the APC electoral committee were lodged, insisting that the process must remain transparent and credible.
“What we want is a peaceful, free, fair and credible primary election. We do not want imposition,” one supporter, Musa Buba, said.
Political tension also escalated in Rivers State after Governor Siminalayi Fubara withdrew from the APC governorship race, citing peace and unity in the state.
The decision sparked anger among supporters and political associates who accused powerful interests within the party of sidelining the governor politically.
Despite the controversy, Kingsley Chinda emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers after polling 268,497 votes.
In Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori secured the APC governorship ticket after polling 345,375 votes in a peaceful direct primary across the state.
“For the first time in Delta State, our primaries were conducted peacefully without violence, crisis or loss of lives,” Oborevwori said after the exercise.
Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat also emerged victorious in the APC governorship primary after defeating rival aspirant Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal by a wide margin.
One of the biggest surprises of the primaries came from Gombe State where Jamilu Gwamna defeated former ministers Isa Pantami and Sa’id Alkali despite both men earlier raising concerns over alleged irregularities in the process.
Elsewhere, several aspirants stepped down in the interest of party unity.
In Adamawa State, former APC National Vice Chairman Mustapha Salihu and two other aspirants withdrew from the race in support of Ahmed Galadima, while in Abia State, Chief Mascot Uzor-Kalu exited the contest citing zoning and equity considerations.
In Nasarawa State, the governorship primary was disrupted by the late arrival of electoral materials, leaving hundreds of party members stranded at polling centres for several hours.
Security operatives were deployed across major centres to maintain order as aspirants and supporters waited for the exercise to begin.
The APC also unveiled plans for its presidential primary scheduled for May 23.
Former Senate President Pius Anyim was named chairman of the Presidential Primary Election Committee, while former Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari will head the appeal panel.
President Bola Tinubu and Stanley Osifo are the two aspirants cleared for the presidential primary, which will be conducted through direct voting across the country’s 8,809 wards.
