The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday conducted House of Representatives primary elections across several states ahead of the 2027 general elections, producing a mix of elected and consensus candidates in different federal constituencies.
The primaries were initially scheduled for Friday but were later postponed to Saturday by the party.
Ahead of the exercise, President Bola Tinubu cautioned party members against infighting and “do-or-die” politics, urging aspirants, delegates and party leaders to conduct themselves peacefully while upholding the principles of internal democracy, fairness and sportsmanship.
The national exercise was also preceded by the disqualification of 14 aspirants across Ondo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Kogi, and Rivers states who failed to clear the party’s screening.
Among those disqualified were serving lawmakers Iduma Igariwey (Ebonyi), alongside Anderson Allison, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, and Boma Goodhead (all from Rivers).
The official results from the states are detailed below:
Katsina State
In Katsina State, Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari, son of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, secured a landslide victory for the Sandamu/Daura/Mai’adua Federal Constituency, polling 5,849 votes to defeat Auwal Lawal Musa (son of former DSS Director-General Lawal Musa Daura), who secured 21 votes.
In the Mani/Bindawa Federal Constituency, the Special Assistant to Governor Dikko Radda on Girl Child Education and Development, Hajiya Jamila Abdu Mani, defeated Ahmed Saleh Junior to emerge winner of the party primary.
Chairman of the Electoral Committee for the constituency, Shafi’u Abdu Duwan, announced that Jamila polled 24,989 votes, while her opponent secured 1,256 votes.
In Kankara/Faskari/Sabuwa Federal Constituency, stakeholders unanimously endorsed former Commissioner for Environment, Hamza Sule Faskari, as the APC consensus candidate.
Similarly, Usman Murtala Banye emerged as the consensus candidate for the Rimi/Charanchi/Batagarawa Federal Constituency.
Kaduna State
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, emerged unopposed in the Zaria Federal Constituency after 1,376 delegates from the 13 wards affirmed his candidacy for a fifth term.
Former lawmaker Samaila Suleiman also secured the APC ticket for Kaduna North Federal Constituency after polling 3,049 votes to defeat Abdulaziz Kaka, who scored 65 votes.
In Zango Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency, Amos Gwamna emerged winner with 1,930 votes, while former Kaduna State Commissioner for Public Works, Hamza Ibrahim, secured the Soba Federal Constituency ticket with 1,030 votes.
Other winners who clinched tickets in their respective Kaduna constituencies include:
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Mukthar Shehu Ladan
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Ahmad Muhammad Munir
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Benjamin Gugong
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Mukthar Zakari Chawai
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Fidelix Joseph Bagudu
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Daniel Amos
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Gabriel Saleh
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Abubakar Shehu Giwa
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Hussaini Muhammad Jalo
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Hussaini Abdulkarim Ahmed
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Sadiq Ango Abdullahi
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Bashir Suleiman Zuntu
Kebbi State
The APC concluded its primaries in Kebbi State largely through consensus affirmations:
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Birnin Kebbi/Kalgo/Bunza Federal Constituency: Former lawmaker and former Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency, Bello Yakubu Rilisco, emerged as the party’s flag bearer after incumbent lawmaker Ibrahim Bello and former Rector of Waziri Umaru Polytechnic, Usman Sani Tunga, stepped down.
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Jega/Gwandu/Aleiro Federal Constituency: Incumbent lawmaker Mansur Musa Jega lost his return ticket following a consensus arrangement that produced former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Jafar Ahmed Jega.
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Koko/Besse/Maiyama Federal Constituency: Returned incumbent lawmaker Salisu Garba Koko.
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Argungu/Augie Federal Constituency: Umar Hassan Augie, popularly known as Turakin Augie, emerged as the candidate.
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Suru/Bagudo Federal Constituency: Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Bello Kaoje, emerged as the reaffirmed candidate.
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Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency: Former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, returned to this ticket after withdrawing from the Senate race.
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Arewa/Dandi Federal Constituency: Incumbent lawmaker Rabi’u Garba Kamba emerged candidate after rival aspirants withdrew following a consensus pact.
Conversely, the Zuru/Fakai/Sakaba/Danko Wasagu Federal Constituency witnessed protests. Although incumbent lawmaker Kabir Ibrahim Tukura emerged as the winner, supporters of rival aspirant Bashar Suleman Bajida alleged they were left in the dark about the exercise and accused party executives of compromise.
Niger State
The APC conducted primaries across the 25 local government areas, presenting a mix of consensus decisions and friction:
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In Chanchaga Local Government Area, incumbent lawmaker Abubakar Audu Buba withdrew from the race after initially joining two other aspirants contesting for the ticket.
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In Bosso Local Government Area, six aspirants contested for the Bosso/Paikoro Federal Constituency ticket.
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Reports from the Gurara/Tafa/Suleja Federal Constituency indicated that the primary election could not hold following allegations of candidate imposition involving the incumbent member, sparking protests from aggrieved party members.
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The Shiroro Federal Constituency primary was also reportedly stalled following disagreements among party members over alleged candidate imposition.
Lagos State
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, secured his transition path to federal lawmaking by running unopposed to win the APC Agege Federal House of Representatives primary election ticket.
Abia State
Abia State saw heavyweights sweep the tickets unopposed, as announced by the primary election committee chairman, Barrister Erasmus Cishak:
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Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, was returned unopposed for the Bende Federal Constituency.
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Former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, clinched the ticket unopposed for the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency.
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Hon. Chris Nkwonta emerged as the candidate for Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency.
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Hon. Uzor Azubuike secured the ticket for Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency.
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Former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedum Orji, won the ticket for the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency.
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Hon. Uzoma Theodore Uka won the Isiala Ngwa North/Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency ticket.
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Hon. Udo Alozie emerged victorious for the Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency.
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Hon. Ikenna Nicholas secured the party’s ticket for the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency.
Delta State
In Delta State, several prominent political figures clinched their tickets through direct primary processes across various constituencies:
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Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, secured the APC ticket for the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency at the Oshimili South Local Government Council Secretariat, with returning officer Mr. Val Arenyeka declaring him the winner.
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Hon. Ejiro Waive was returned as the winner for the Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency primary following a peaceful voting process across the wards.
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Incumbent lawmaker Hon. Jonathan Ukodhiko defeated his challenger, Hon. Dickson Ebegbare, to secure the Isoko Federal Constituency ticket.
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Hon. Ramson Onoyake clinched the APC ticket for the Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency, as announced by returning officer Mr. Charles Aniagwu.
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Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi emerged as the winner for the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency primary election, which was conducted utilizing the Option A4 voting system.
Benue State
The primaries in Benue State highlighted an internal power play, with serving lawmakers allied with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, reportedly losing ground to candidates backed by Governor Hyacinth Alia:
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Konshisha Federal Constituency: Hon. Dr. Engr. Livinus Tsar, the preferred candidate of Governor Alia, recorded a landslide victory over incumbent lawmaker and Akume ally, Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher. At the ward level in Mbavaa, Tsar polled 1,542 votes against Ikpagher’s 5 votes, finishing with a total constituency tally of 9,261 votes to Ikpagher’s 473.
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Gwer Federal Constituency: Incumbent representative and Akume loyalist, Hon. Asema Achado, suffered heavy losses across multiple wards to Terhemba Nongo. In Mbabur Ward, Nongo polled 988 votes to Achado’s 2; in Mbasombo Ward, Nongo secured 732 votes to Achado’s 53; and in Ikwe Ward, Nongo got 668 votes against Achado’s 59.
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Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency: Hon. Ikper Terfa Christopher established dominance, polling 1,802 votes in one of the key wards while rival contenders trailed with marginal numbers.
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Meanwhile, deep political tensions trailed the Oju/Obi Federal Constituency primary election, where internal rifts raised fears of parallel winner declarations by opposing party factions.
Rivers State
In Rivers State, close allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, dominated the primary elections:
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The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, clinched an APC ticket to run for the federal parliament.
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Other key figures and loyalists, including Dum Dekor, also emerged victorious in their respective federal constituencies, signaling a strong alignment within the state structure.
Ebonyi State
Governor Francis Nwifuru hailed the conduct of the primaries across the state as official winners emerged for the federal seats. The exercise was praised for its peaceful execution following the previous disqualification of some aspirants, cementing the state chapter’s consensus and voting outcomes.
Imo State
The primaries in Imo State delivered significant upsets, resulting in the electoral defeat of two serving members of the House of Representatives who failed to secure their return tickets.
This came alongside high-profile strategic withdrawals, including socialite Pascal Okechukwu (Cubana Chief Priest), who stepped aside from the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency race following zoning arrangements presented by Governor Hope Uzodimma.
