By George OPARA
Politicians who are supposed to be issued with a certificate of return after winning their individual primaries conducted by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, have raised alarm over the undue delay in recognizing their successful participations as authentic flagbearers.
Spear News Nigeria gathered that they are alleging that the development may be part of a calculated move by the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, to alter the list of candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Checks revealed that aggrieved aspirants from various states and elective positions accused the party leadership of creating uncertainty within the ranks of the APC, despite the conclusion of the primaries and declaration of winners by various primary election committees since May 15 and 23, 2026.
Some of the aspirants, who under a condition of anonymity they are afraid of being victimized by the party, insisting the prolonged delay had heightened suspicion among party members.
This development followed recent remarks allegedly credited to some members of the NWC that the party leadership retained the final authority to determine who eventually emerges as the party’s candidate.
Some NWC members said the party further sparked tension among candidates who fear that the outcome of the primaries could be overturned through administrative decisions at the party’s national secretariat.
One of the declared winners said, “We participated in the primaries in good faith; results were announced by the duly constituted primary committees, and winners emerged. But weeks after the exercise, many of us are yet to receive our Certificates of Return.
“What is more troubling is the statement by some NWC members that the party leadership reserves the right to determine who becomes a candidate irrespective of who was declared winner by the chairman of the primary election committee. That statement is dangerous and undemocratic.”
Also, another aspirant alleged that there were ongoing moves to replace certain candidates who were not favored by influential figures within the party hierarchy.
The aspirants also disclosed that while many candidates were yet to receive their certificates, President Bola Tinubu had already been presented with his Certificate of Return by the party in recognition of his victory at the APC presidential primary.
They argued that the prompt issuance of the President’s certificate contrasted sharply with the treatment being meted out to other victorious aspirants across the country.
“The President has already received his Certificate of Return, so why are others being delayed? The party should not create the impression that some candidates are more valid than others,” one of them stated.
When contacted, Felix Morka, spokesman of the party made a non-committal reaction, saying” he did not dismiss or confirm the allegation”.
“The party leadership has done nothing to warrant this question”.
However, sources inside the party leadership insisted that the NWC was still reviewing reports from the primaries and would take final decisions in line with the constitution and guidelines of the party.
Stakeholders of the APC across the federation have also cautioned the party leadership against any purported nullification of consensus and direct primary elections on grounds of what they described as “premature announcement” of results in the states before transmission to the NWC.
In a memorandum addressed to the National Chairman and members of the NWC and endorsed by Barrister Abdullazeez Mamman on behalf of APC stakeholders nationwide, the group argued that the committees deployed to conduct the primaries acted as agents of the NWC under delegated authority.
“The ballot is not a proposal. The will of party members expressed through consensus and direct primary elections is not subject to nullification by administrative fiat,” it stated.
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