Eshioromeh Sebastian
The All Progressives Congress is discovering that its preference for consensus candidates ahead of the 2027 elections is running into unexpected legal hurdles.
Across several states, what party leaders hoped would be a smooth process has instead triggered internal disagreements and, more critically, litigation under the newly amended Electoral Act.
The Legal Framework Has Changed
The Electoral Act 2026 introduced specific provisions that fundamentally alter how consensus candidates can emerge. Under the new rules, a consensus arrangement requires written consent from every cleared aspirant for a given position. If a single aspirant refuses to sign a withdrawal letter, the party cannot legally present a consensus candidate. Any attempt to proceed without unanimous consent renders the nomination void.
This shifts power significantly toward individual aspirants. Previously, party leadership could negotiate or pressure aspirants into stepping aside. Now, one dissenting voice can collapse an entire consensus arrangement and force the party back to direct primaries. And if a party runs out of time to conduct those primaries, the nomination window is now 90 days before elections—it risks fielding no candidate at all.
Ogun East: A Senate Tussle Turns Legal
In Ogun State, the contest for the Ogun East senatorial ticket between Governor Dapo Abiodun and incumbent Senator Gbenga Daniel illustrates the problem. While some party stakeholders are pushing for a consensus that would see the governor head to the Senate, Daniel’s supporters have rejected any move to impose a candidate.
Chief Jide Ojuko, an APC elder from Ogun Central, described the risk. “Consensus is a double-edged sword,” he said. “It saved us during the 2023 succession, but it will destroy us if used to erase competition.”
The media office of Senator Adebola Adeleye made the legal position clear. “The APC Constitution is clear: consensus means agreement by all aspirants. You cannot have consensus of one. Let us go to the field.”
Under the Electoral Act 2026, if Daniel or any other aspirant refuses to sign a withdrawal letter, the party has no legal basis to present a consensus candidate. Any nomination that ignores that refusal would be challengeable in court.
Nasarawa: When Leaders Disagree Publicly
In Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule’s endorsement of Senator Ahmed Wadada as his preferred successor has drawn sharp criticism from another party leader. Former Governor Senator Tanko Almakura argued that proper consultation did not take place.
“This, to me, is an aberration,” Almakura said on Channels TV. “It is a little too hasty at this point when the party has not brought out guidelines for the primary exercise. There was no proper consultation among critical stakeholders to secure a unanimous position on his decision.”
Almakura reminded the public that the party had previously agreed on a different path. “About a week ago, we had a meeting of all stakeholders in the governor’s lodge in Abuja. We all agreed that it is going to be direct primary. The governor himself categorically confessed to have made a mistake in calling for zoning.”
The disagreement matters because under the Electoral Act, any aspirant who feels a consensus was forced rather than voluntary can approach the Federal High Court to challenge the nomination.
Lagos: Denials Despite Movements
In Lagos, state chairman Cornelius Ojelabi has publicly denied that any consensus candidate has been chosen. “Claims that the All Progressives Congress has settled on a consensus governorship candidate for Lagos State ahead of the 2027 election have been dismissed,” he said.
However, reports suggest Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat’s camp is already mobilizing as though consensus exists. Other aspirants, including Tokunbo Abiru, Mudashiru Obasa, and Jandor, remain interested. The gap between public denial and private maneuvering creates uncertainty. If a consensus is eventually announced without the written consent of all cleared aspirants, the party would be exposed to immediate legal challenge.
The Risk Across States
Similar dynamics are playing out elsewhere. In Kwara, the push for consensus is reopening North-South zoning disagreements. As one APC chieftain from Baruten put it: “You cannot talk consensus when you have not addressed justice.”
In Oyo, a party elder from Ibadan North noted the difference between Lagos and other states. “Oyo is not Lagos where GAC can announce and everybody falls in line. Here, consensus must be earned, not declared.”
In Benue, some aspirants have already rejected the consensus arrangement, insisting on direct primaries. Governor Hyacinth Alia has cautioned aspirants against invoking his name, stating: “I am not the one to decide anyone’s electoral fate. The people are there to decide.”
A Calculated Response
The party is not unaware of these risks. According to the report, APC leaders are now employing several strategies to avoid litigation. Before aspirants are officially cleared, elders engage them privately. Some are offered future appointments or refunds of form fees in exchange for stepping down. Political memoranda of understanding—promises of Senate slots, ministerial roles, or cabinet positions—are being used to make losing aspirants feel included.
These tactics may reduce the number of legal challenges. But they do not eliminate the risk entirely. As one party insider noted, the strategy only works until one aspirant decides he has had enough. And under the Electoral Act 2026, that one aspirant has the legal power to stop a consensus entirely.
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