APC Governors' Handpicked Successors vs. The People's Choice 2027 Crisis Brewing

The 2027 general elections are exposing a deep fault line within Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC): sitting governors are anointing their preferred successors, while grassroots party members and rival aspirants are pushing back, demanding genuine democratic primaries.

The Pattern: Governors Picking Their Own Replacements
Across multiple APC-controlled states, an unmistakable trend has emerged governors publicly endorsing handpicked candidates rather than allowing open, competitive primaries.

Nasarawa State is one of the clearest examples. Governor Abdullahi Sule recently announced Senator Ahmed Wadada as his preferred APC governorship aspirant and successor in 2027. But the move has sparked a fierce backlash. APC stakeholders in the Southern Senatorial Zone of Nasarawa have urged former NPHCDA boss Dr. Faisal Shuaib not to abandon his 2027 governorship ambition, despite Sule's decision to appoint Wadada as his preferred successor.

In Lagos, the APC is moving toward a consensus arrangement to settle on Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election. (Punch) House of Assembly Speaker Obasa has thrown his weight behind the plan, declaring: "Dr. Obafemi Hamzat is the next Governor of Lagos State. You have demonstrated unquestionable loyalty to our great party."

In the South-West, APC stakeholders are said to favour Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) for Ogun State and Senator Sharafadeen Alli for Oyo State decisions that reportedly emerged from a private meeting of APC stakeholders with President Tinubu in Lagos.

The Resistance: "This Is Not Democracy"
Not everyone is accepting this top-down arrangement quietly.
In Nasarawa, the camp of former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar Adamu alleged plans to coerce ward executives across the state into endorsing the governor's preferred candidate, describing the development as "a calculated assault on democracy" and a direct violation of the party's constitution.

A group responding to the trend warned: "We will not accept, tolerate, or allow any form of imposition on our people. Such tendencies are an affront to internal party democracy and a dangerous slide towards political authoritarianism. All aspirants must be given a level playing field. Whoever emerges must do so through the genuine choice of party members and delegates, not through the dictates of a powerful few."

In Lagos, the re-emergence of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has added a new layer of complexity, with supporters framing his return as an opportunity to "complete the job" after his abrupt exit in 2019 where he was refused a ticket for a second term.

The Wider APC Internal Crisis
Fresh crises are brewing in the APC in Adamawa, Nasarawa, Niger and other states as activities towards the 2027 general elections gather momentum, with aggrieved aspirants and stakeholders raising concerns that some governors have hijacked the process.

A National Assembly source disclosed that meetings between APC leadership and senators centered on complaints over the growing use of consensus arrangements in state chapters, allegedly controlled by governors.

Niger State Governor Umar Bago, however, noted that President Tinubu reaffirmed his support for the governors and granted them flexibility to adopt either consensus or direct primaries, in line with the Electoral Act.

The Bottom Line
The APC's 2027 governorship succession battles lay bare a fundamental contradiction: a party that preaches democracy is being accused of practicing political monarchy, where governors not voters decide who rules next. As primaries approach, the question is whether rank-and-file party members will accept imposed candidates or force genuine contests. The outcome could define not just who governs these states, but the health of Nigeria's internal party democracy itself.

Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.
International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP
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