By: Abdulqadir Muhammad Alhaji
The All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections have continued to generate political debate and public scrutiny, not only over the fate of several former ministers under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but also over the manner in which some of the exercises were conducted.
What many expected to be a smooth transition from ministerial offices to elective politics turned into a politically turbulent exercise marked by mixed outcomes, disputed narratives and growing questions over internal party dynamics.
Following the resignation of political appointees seeking elective positions, several former ministers returned to their states with expectations that federal visibility and cabinet experience would strengthen their political fortunes but the primaries delivered a different reality.
Among the notable figures affected was former Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who failed to secure the APC governorship ticket in Bauchi State despite his national profile and years within federal power circles. Former Power Minister, Adebayo Adelabu, and former Transportation Minister, Saidu Alkali, also suffered political setbacks in their respective contests.
Their defeats immediately triggered reactions across political circles and social media, with many questioning whether influence at the federal level still carries the political weight it once commanded within party structures at home. Yet the story did not end with defeat alone.
Some former ministers successfully secured party nominations, further exposing the uneven and politically layered nature of the APC primaries and making broad conclusions difficult. Beyond the emergence of candidates, however, it was the conduct of portions of the primaries that drew perhaps the strongest public attention.
Across social media platforms, videos and eyewitness accounts from some voting centres sparked heated debates over aspects of the counting and collation process. In several clips widely circulated online, observers appeared visibly confused as figures announced during counting moved in ways that generated public suspicion and intense argument.
For many viewers, the pattern of announcing figures sometimes jumping from single digits to significantly higher numbers during collation created an atmosphere of uncertainty and raised questions about transparency, even though party officials insisted that procedures were properly followed.
The controversies surrounding parts of the exercise have since deepened conversations about trust, internal democracy and accountability within the ruling party. Political observers say the developments may reflect more than isolated disagreements.
Rather, they point to the increasingly competitive and sometimes fragile balance of power within the APC, where state political structures, delegate influence and internal alliances appear capable of outweighing federal recognition or cabinet status.
For critics, the confusion witnessed in some areas and the mixed outcomes recorded by prominent aspirants may indicate deeper factional tensions and unresolved struggles for control within the party.
Supporters, however, argue that competitive contests are naturally contentious and that political influence alone should not guarantee victory. Whichever interpretation prevails, the APC primaries have left behind more than winners and losers.
They have opened fresh debate about the credibility, transparency and future direction of internal party politics, while offering an early indication that the road to 2027 may be shaped as much by political contestation within parties as by the elections themselves.
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