APC Implosion: Governors Hijack Primaries, Old Members Shut Out

By Sam Agogo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is heading into its national convention next week under a cloud of tension and discontent. Across Plateau, Lagos, Delta, Benue, Ondo, and Akwa Ibom, state congresses that were meant to strengthen the party have instead exposed deep fractures.

What should have been a preparatory exercise for unity has turned into a battleground where governors and defectors are accused of hijacking the process, leaving many of the party’s founding members completely shut out.

In Plateau, angry members stormed the party secretariat in Quanpan LGA, alleging that primaries were never conducted and candidates were imposed by the governor’s camp. Lagos witnessed outrage after chairmanship primaries produced relatives of top politicians, fueling accusations of favoritism and manipulation. Delta is engulfed in turmoil as zoning rules were defied in the contest for national secretary, leading to parallel executives and weakening grassroots appeal.

Benue has become one of the flashpoints of APC’s internal war. The clash between the Akume faction and the Governor’s faction has led to a parallel congress, with each camp claiming legitimacy. The Akume bloc, representing long-standing party loyalists, accuses the governor of hijacking the process to favor defectors and newcomers. The governor’s camp insists it is consolidating control to strengthen the party ahead of the national convention. The result is a fractured structure, with two parallel executives operating in the same state, leaving members confused and bitterly divided.

Ondo’s congresses produced parallel executives, deepening factional divides, while Akwa Ibom erupted in protests over alleged plans to dissolve ward structures to favor defectors from PDP. Across these states, the same pattern emerges: old APC members, who insist they built the party from scratch, now find themselves sidelined. Many complain that they have been completely shut out of the process, while defectors who joined only weeks or months ago are being handed control of party structures. Governors, wielding enormous influence, are accused of imposing loyalists and favoring newcomers over long-serving members. This has created bitterness among the grassroots, who feel betrayed and disenfranchised.

The looming national convention, which will produce new national executives, is expected to intensify these tensions. Old members fear that they will be further marginalized, as defectors consolidate control with the backing of governors. The convention, instead of healing divisions, may cement the dominance of defectors and deepen the sense of exclusion among those who have been with the party since its inception.

The Electoral Act 2022 has made the situation even more precarious. Section 77(2) requires parties to submit a digital membership register to INEC 21 days before primaries, locking membership lists. Section 115(d) bars aspirants who lose primaries from defecting to another party to seek tickets. This means that many defectors who joined APC hoping for tickets are now trapped. They cannot return to their former parties or seek new platforms after losing primaries. For old members who have been denied tickets, the law has effectively closed the door, leaving them stranded and politically powerless.

The implications are severe. Many defectors and sidelined members will lose their seats, grassroots members feel disenfranchised, and disillusioned politicians may sabotage APC campaigns at local levels. Opposition parties are already exploiting the divisions, particularly in Benue and Delta. Internal strife also threatens governance, as governors focus on consolidating power rather than delivering policies.

The APC’s implosion after its state congresses underscores the dangers of governors’ dominance, factional divides, and the unforgiving provisions of the Electoral Act. With no legal window for defectors or old members to escape, the ruling party faces a storm that could cost it dearly in the 2027 elections.

This crisis is not just about internal politics; it is about the future of Nigeria’s democracy. The disenfranchisement of old members, the anger of grassroots supporters, and the manipulation of primaries by governors all point to a party struggling to maintain cohesion. If unresolved, APC risks repeating the fate of PDP before 2015, when internal implosions weakened its grip on power. The upcoming national convention will be a test of whether APC can restore unity or whether its implosion will pave the way for a new political realignment in Nigeria.

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