Petitions, protests, legal threats and accusations of imposition have trailed the ongoing screening of aspirants by the ruling All Progressives Congress across several states ahead of the 2027 general elections, exposing widening cracks within the party over the use of consensus arrangements and the disqualification of aspirants.
Investigations revealed that aggrieved aspirants in states including Taraba, Kano, Jigawa, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Plateau are mobilising petitions and possible legal challenges over the outcome of the party’s screening exercises.
The screening exercise forms part of the APC’s nationwide process aimed at reducing the number of aspirants ahead of the party primaries. However, the exercise has already generated controversy in several states, with disqualified aspirants expected to seek redress through appeal committees.
In some states, protests have already erupted, while in others, party stakeholders warned that attempts to impose candidates could trigger defections, anti-party activities and deepen internal divisions ahead of the primaries.