The All Progressives Congress (APC) has wrapped up governorship primaries in 28 states as the party begins preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The exercise produced candidates in most states where voting was conducted, although the process was affected in some areas by internal disagreements, delayed logistics, and withdrawals by key political figures. All incumbent APC governors who participated in the primaries secured their party’s tickets for another term. However, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, pulled out before the exercise commenced.
The APC did not hold primaries in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun states because their governorship elections follow separate electoral timelines.
In Bauchi and Kwara states, the inability of party stakeholders to agree on consensus arrangements led to the postponement of the primaries. Nasarawa State also experienced disruptions after electoral materials arrived late, forcing the exercise to extend beyond Thursday.
Several states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Plateau, Sokoto, and Cross River, successfully completed the process.
Fubara’s withdrawal came against the backdrop of his ongoing political rift with former Rivers governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. In his reaction, the governor said his decision was taken to protect peace and stability in the state, stressing that restraint should not be mistaken for weakness.
Following his exit from the race, Kingsley Chinda emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State after contesting unopposed.
