Mixed Outcomes as APC Concludes State Assembly Primaries

By Our Reporters

The All Progressives Congress yesterday wrapped up its state assembly primaries nationwide, and it was very much a tale of two experiences. In some states, everything went smoothly with consensus choices, but elsewhere, there were protests, accusations of rigging, and candidates flat-out rejecting the outcomes.

In Kaduna State, the process leaned heavily toward consensus. Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dahiru Liman, his deputy Magaji Danjuma, and Majority Leader Munira Tanimu all secured their tickets unopposed through affirmation exercises.

Liman was declared the candidate for Makera State Constituency after the returning officer confirmed he had no challengers across all five voting areas in the constituency.

Similarly, Danjuma and Tanimu sailed through in Kagarko and Lere East constituencies respectively. Adding to the harmony, several other aspirants voluntarily stepped down and pledged their support to Governor Uba Sani’s leadership, saying their decision came after broad consultations.

Kogi State also saw a decisive outcome, with Emmanuel Obaro clinching the ticket for Yagba East State Constituency after sweeping all ten wards in a direct primary. Party insiders described his win as a reward for strong grassroots engagement.

But not everywhere was calm. Lagos State produced one of the most dramatic upsets of the day. Actor-turned-lawmaker Desmond Elliot, who has represented Surulere Constituency I, suffered a crushing defeat. His challenger, Barakat Bakare, who is widely believed to have the backing of Femi Gbajabiamila, pulled in 11,355 votes across six wards. Elliot managed just 270 votes. He immediately rejected the outcome, pulling his agents out of the venue midway.

Speaking angrily afterward, Elliot alleged that his supporters were locked out, the process was rushed, and violence broke out. “Thank God nobody was killed, but a lot of people were injured,” he said. Meanwhile, in other parts of Lagos, Ganiyu Egunjobi and Azeez Oladapo Yusuf secured tickets for Agege Constituencies I and II respectively, and Mudasiru Obasa won the ticket for Agege Federal Constituency.

In Edo State, the primaries claimed some notable political casualties. Deputy Speaker Atu Osawonyi lost his bid for re-election to Ikpomwonsa Aitusi. Former Deputy Speaker Yekini Idiaye also fell to Humphrey Adewunmi.

However, Speaker Blessing Agbebaku managed to hold on to his ticket. Adding to the tension, two federal lawmakers, Esosa Iyawe and Marcus Onobum, as well as Senator Neda Imasuen, all submitted formal protests. Iyawe claimed that the declared result did not match the actual votes cast, alleging fraud and suppression of figures. He said his supporters had been attacked and that he had to send his complaint directly to the party’s national leadership after failing to reach the appeals committee.

Delta State saw fewer surprises. Speaker Emomotimi Guwor emerged as the candidate for Warri South-West Constituency. Other winners included Orobosa Ashakah in Isoko North, Lucky Idhoveh in Isoko South I, and Ferguson Onwo in Isoko South II. Deputy Speaker Arthur Akpowowo also secured his ticket for Ethiope East.

In Ogun State, the primaries were described as peaceful and transparent. Governor Dapo Abiodun participated in the exercise in Ikenne Local Government and praised the process as a reflection of internal democracy. Speaker Daisi Elemide secured 2,115 votes in Odeda Local Government through a consensus arrangement.

Benue State offered another dramatic twist. Deputy Speaker Lami Danladi-Ogenyi won her primary for Ado State Constituency with 7,132 votes. But former Speaker Hyacinth Dajoh withdrew from the race for Gboko West, citing irregularities and a lack of transparency. Shortly after, he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to associates of former Governor Samuel Ortom.

Kwara’s primary took an unusual turn. The party initially disqualified more than half of the 159 aspirants, sparking anxiety and protests. But in a reversal, the APC cleared all of them, including Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, who had been absent from the first list. However, the peace did not hold everywhere in the state.

Aspirants for the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency ticket rejected the May 16 primary, with one aspirant, Ademola Samad, insisting that no proper election took place. Another, Akeem Ayinla Ishola Balogun, said the consensus arrangement violated the party’s own constitution.

In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule emerged victorious in the senatorial primary for Nasarawa North, polling 47,393 votes against former Deputy Governor Silas Ali Agara’s 2,915 votes. The returning officer called the exercise credible and transparent.

Also in the state, former health agency executive Faisal Shuaib won the Nasarawa West senatorial ticket through affirmation, securing 98,614 votes. But not everyone was satisfied. A group calling itself Concerned APC Members protested in Lafia, claiming that in several wards, election materials arrived late or never showed up at all, effectively disenfranchising many party members.

Cross River State saw outright rejection of results. Two aspirants for the Central Senatorial District, Eteng Jones Williams and Mary Ekpere, told their supporters to disregard results circulating on social media. Williams said his team visited all 66 wards and found no voting whatsoever. “No election took place,” he insisted. Ekpere lamented that she was not even allowed to cast a vote for herself.

In Ondo State, a similar story unfolded. Alex Ajipe, an aspirant for Ondo North Senatorial District, rejected the results that showed Gbenga Elegbeleye winning with 28,062 votes, ahead of incumbent Olajide Ipinsagba.

Ajipe claimed that in four local governments, officials collected unofficial results written on plain paper and then disappeared. He described the process as an “allocation of votes in broad daylight.” Meanwhile, another Ondo aspirant, Monday Akinyomi, took his grievance directly to President Bola Tinubu, alleging that his primary for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency never even held because officials failed to show up.

Jigawa State offered a model of consensus. The party adopted a unified approach to pick all 30 flagbearers for the state assembly. Speaker Haruna Dangyatim was affirmed for his constituency, and the APC publicity secretary in the state, Bashir Kundu, read out a full list of successful candidates, which included 18 incumbents and 11 new faces. Kundu said the exercise followed the party’s directive to use consensus wherever possible.