By Our Correspondents
The All Progressives Congress witnessed a dramatic reshaping of its political landscape on Monday as governorship heavyweights swept the senatorial primaries while several former governors and established power brokers suffered stunning defeats or boycotted the exercise entirely.
The primaries, held simultaneously across the 36 states, served as a crucial gatekeeping exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections, determining who would carry the party’s banner in the race for the National Assembly.
Governors dominate the field
In Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma delivered what many observers described as the most emphatic statement of political supremacy of the night. Contesting for the Imo West Senatorial District, Uzodimma obliterated his challengers, including former Governor Rochas Okorocha, by a staggering margin. Official collation from the exercise showed Uzodimma polling over 230,000 votes, while Okorocha, a former governor who has remained a significant political force in the state, managed less than 1,100 votes.
The result effectively confirmed the realignment of political forces in Imo, where the APC has been divided along pro-Uzodimma and pro-Okorocha factions for years. Party faithful who gathered at collation centres described the outcome as a referendum on Okorocha’s dwindling influence within the party structure.
Similarly, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun secured his senatorial ticket for Ogun East with an overwhelming showing. Abiodun polled 810 votes out of 812 accredited voters, a near-unanimous endorsement that left no room for ambiguity about his command over the party apparatus in the district. His victory came against the backdrop of conspicuous absences by former governors Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, both of whom had signalled interest in senatorial runs but ultimately shunned the exercise.
Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello also completed a notable political comeback, clinching the Kogi Central ticket with over 72,000 votes in a landslide performance that reminded political observers of the enduring structure he built during his eight-year tenure. Bello defeated Ibrahim Yakubu Adoje and Momoh Obaro in a contest that was never in doubt from the moment voting commenced.
Former governors crash
Perhaps the most striking narrative to emerge from Monday’s primaries was the simultaneous collapse of several former governors’ senatorial ambitions. Okorocha’s humiliation in Imo West stood out, but it was not an isolated incident.
In Ogun State, the absence of Daniel and Amosun told its own story. Daniel, who had nursed ambitions for the Ogun East ticket, stayed away entirely, with his media aide later explaining that the former governor withdrew to avoid potential violence. The statement, which declared that no ambition was worth the blood of any citizen, was widely interpreted as a concession that the political arithmetic was insurmountable.
Amosun, who had his sights on Ogun Central, was also notably absent. Party sources alleged that the former governor was simply not carried along in the consensus arrangement that had already settled on Senator Shuaib Salisu as the preferred candidate. Without the backing of the party leadership, Amosun’s path effectively closed before the primaries even began.
In Delta State, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa proved that his political machinery remains formidable. Contesting for Delta North, Okowa defeated incumbent Senator Ned Nwoko in a landslide, polling over 113,000 votes against Nwoko’s modest 2,600. The defeat of a sitting senator by a former governor underscored the peculiar dynamics at play, where executive experience and entrenched networks often trumped legislative incumbency.
Consensus and chaos across the federation
While some states witnessed fiercely contested primaries, others opted for consensus arrangements aimed at preserving party unity ahead of the 2027 elections. In Lagos, all three serving senators were returned unopposed, with Tokunbo Abiru, Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, and Idiat Adebule affirmed through internal agreements brokered by party leadership.
Similarly, in Borno and Yobe states, consensus emerged as the preferred mechanism. Senate President Godswill Akpabio enjoyed a carnival-like affirmation in Akwa Ibom North West, where he stood as the sole aspirant. In Yobe, Governor Mai Mala Buni, Senator Ibrahim Bomai, and former Senate President Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan were all adopted through negotiated arrangements designed to avoid divisive contests.
But not everywhere enjoyed such tranquillity. In Edo State, confusion reigned as two separate factions declared different winners for the Edo South senatorial primary. While the official APC collation committee declared Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama the victor with over 27,000 votes, a rival faction insisted that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu had won the contest. Incumbent Senator Neda Imasuen rejected the entire process outright, alleging that some ward chairmen had openly admitted the party had already adopted a preferred candidate before voting began.
In Ebonyi State, what began as a peaceful consensus exercise degenerated into violence when Senator Kenneth Eze, who had just been declared winner for Ebonyi Central, allegedly turned on journalists covering the event. Eyewitnesses reported that Eze became agitated when approached for comments, and his aides and loyalists reportedly attacked members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists at the collation centre in Onueke, creating panic that overshadowed the electoral outcome.
Disqualifications add to the turbulence
In the days leading up to the primaries, the APC had already set the stage for controversy by disqualifying 44 aspirants from contesting. The list, released by National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, included several high-profile names such as Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Kola Daisi from Oyo South, and Ipalibo Banigo-Harry from Rivers West.
The disqualification list underwent unexplained revisions, with some names removed and others reclassified as voluntary withdrawals or defections. The lack of clarity around the criteria for disqualification fuelled allegations of manipulation, with affected aspirants and their supporters expressing outrage across several states. Banigo-Harry, a serving senator, publicly protested her exclusion, appealing directly to President Bola Tinubu and describing the decision as an injustice to women and experienced legislators.
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