Tension is building within the ruling All Progressives Congress as winners of the party’s recently concluded primary elections express concern over delays in the issuance of Certificates of Return, amid growing fears that the final list of candidates may still be reviewed ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The situation has unsettled many successful aspirants across the country and sparked quiet consultations within party circles. There is increasing suspicion that results already announced by various primary election committees could still be tampered with at the party’s national secretariat, despite earlier declarations of winners at the constituency level.
The concern heightened after a memo sent to the party leadership and signed by Abdulazeez Mamman on behalf of other aspirants cautioned against any move to overturn outcomes from consensus arrangements and direct primaries. The memo particularly frowned at what it described as the premature announcement of results before formal submission to the National Working Committee.
In the document, the stakeholders stressed that the outcome of a primary election reflects the decision of party members and should not be set aside through administrative action. They maintained that committees appointed to conduct the primaries were acting on behalf of the party and within delegated authority, making their decisions valid and binding once concluded.
They also cited provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, arguing that only the Federal High Court has the authority to handle disputes arising from party primaries. According to them, the National Working Committee cannot assume the role of an appellate body over exercises conducted by its own authorised committees.
The group warned that any attempt to alter results already announced at the constituency level could deepen internal divisions and pose a serious risk to party unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
Some aggrieved aspirants, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed frustration over the delay in receiving their Certificates of Return. They also questioned why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was promptly issued his own certificate after emerging winner of the presidential primary, while many others are still waiting for theirs.
One of the sources said members participated in the process in good faith, relying on assurances that the guidelines would be followed. However, the continued delay and conflicting signals from party leadership have raised concerns about fairness and internal transparency.
The aspirants also reacted strongly to comments attributed to some National Working Committee members suggesting that the party leadership retains final authority to decide candidates regardless of results declared by primary election committees. They described such remarks as troubling and a threat to internal democracy.
The development has already led to consultations among affected aspirants, with some reportedly considering legal options should the party fail to recognise the outcomes announced by the various primary election committees.
Meanwhile, party insiders insist that the National Working Committee is still reviewing all reports from the primaries and will arrive at final decisions in line with the party’s constitution and established guidelines.
The party leadership has consistently maintained that the National Working Committee holds the constitutional power to ratify candidates before their names are forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission, regardless of announcements made at primary election venues.
