Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the party’s national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, may be heading for a clash over the mode of primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While the national leadership of the party and the Presidency have yet to take a definitive position, governors are reportedly pushing for the adoption of indirect primaries for the 2026 party primaries.
Party insiders who spoke with Leadership Newspaper disclosed that before his resignation, former APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, had reached an understanding with governors on using the delegate system.
According to them, the governors prefer the model because it allows them to control state party structures and influence the emergence of candidates for the National Assembly and other positions.
A chieftain who spoke anonymously said, “They were confident Ganduje would back their agenda. His resignation disrupted their plans. President Tinubu’s decision to back Yilwatda and extend the tenure of executives unsettled them further.”
Sources close to the Presidency revealed that President Bola Tinubu is more inclined towards direct primaries, recalling the 2018 rancorous congresses that almost tore the APC apart.
“But they have forgotten Tinubu is not Buhari. He is in firm control of the party. He would prefer direct primary, no doubt; and the governors know this much. That means they have to be on the same page with him,” another source stated.
It was learnt that Yilwatda has been cautious, refusing to engage governors without the President’s formal approval. “He does not want to repeat the mistakes of his predecessor,” the insider added.
Reacting, the Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, maintained that the governors would abide by the party’s final decision.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, Uzodimma said, “APC is one united family and will continue to speak with one voice for the overall interest of the nation. As responsible stakeholders, we will abide by the party’s decision on the mode of primaries.”
Meanwhile, sources in the Presidency said Tinubu has deliberately withheld his preferred model of primaries to prevent any political bloc from gaining an early advantage.
A top APC chieftain hinted that the President would likely stick with the direct primary system, which produced Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State in recent contests.
“The national chairman won’t act against the Presidency’s interest. With Yilwatda in charge, it will be difficult for the governors to impose their agenda,” the source concluded.
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