By Opeyemi Adelakun
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing growing scrutiny over the substitution of several National Assembly candidates after the conclusion of its primary elections, a development that has triggered protests, internal disagreements and renewed debate over internal democracy within the ruling party.
The controversy intensified after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) granted political parties access to upload the names of their candidates.
Several aspirants who had earlier been declared winners of APC primaries reportedly discovered that their names had been replaced on the party’s final list.
The changes affected candidates in several states, including Ondo, Benue, Kaduna, Kwara, Niger, Taraba, Kogi, Abia and Ebonyi.
In Ondo State, the substitutions generated one of the strongest reactions. Some unsuccessful aspirants had petitioned the party’s national leadership, alleging irregularities during the primaries.
Following a review by the APC’s appeal committee, new candidates emerged on the final list, prompting protests from party stakeholders and local government chairmen, who insisted that the revised list did not reflect the outcome of the primaries conducted in the state.
In Ekiti State, former senator Ayo Arise criticised alleged attempts to produce consensus candidates without broad agreement among stakeholders.
He argued that the APC constitution and the Electoral Act provide clear procedures for candidate selection and maintained that consensus should only emerge through genuine agreement rather than imposition.
Across other states, stakeholders also raised concerns over what they described as a growing pattern of replacing candidates who had secured victories during the party’s primaries.
In Kwara, prominent party leaders warned that unresolved disputes could deepen internal divisions ahead of the elections, while in Benue, the replacement of some candidates reignited the long-running rivalry between political blocs loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
In Kaduna, the substitution of a candidate believed to enjoy the backing of Governor Uba Sani also attracted attention, with observers linking the decision to wider political calculations within the party.
The APC has defended the changes, insisting that they followed a comprehensive review of petitions submitted after the primaries. According to the party, more than 700 petitions were received from aggrieved aspirants nationwide and were examined by its Primary Election Appeal Committee before the National Working Committee approved the final list submitted to INEC.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said the party carefully reviewed every petition before arriving at its final decisions, maintaining that the current list reflects candidates who either emerged unchallenged or were affirmed through the appeal process.
Despite the explanation, some affected aspirants alleged that influential political figures used the period between the primaries and the submission of candidates’ names to alter the original outcomes. Several party members have continued to demand greater transparency in the screening, appeal and substitution processes.
Legal experts have also weighed in on the controversy. Constitutional lawyer Umar Usman Danbaito argued that judicial decisions over the years have significantly limited the powers of political parties to arbitrarily substitute candidates who emerged through valid primary elections.
Political analysts similarly warned that repeated disputes over candidate substitutions could undermine public confidence in internal party democracy. They argued that transparent primaries remain essential to strengthening democratic institutions and maintaining the credibility of the electoral process.
As preparations for the 2027 elections continue, the controversy surrounding the APC’s candidate substitutions has become one of the earliest tests of the party’s internal cohesion. Whether the disputes are resolved through dialogue, party mechanisms or the courts could shape both the APC’s electoral fortunes and the broader conversation about internal democracy in Nigeria’s political parties.
Ultimately, political power belongs to citizens—not party executives.Every voter has a responsibility to examine not only what candidates promise but also how they emerged.
Candidates produced through transparent and competitive processes often carry stronger democratic legitimacy.
Conversely, candidates perceived to have benefited from opaque arrangements may struggle to earn public trust.
Rejecting such candidates at the ballot box is not necessarily a rejection of a political party. The APC still has an opportunity to reassure both its members and the wider electorate that fairness remains central to its internal processes.
Greater transparency, clear explanations for candidate substitutions and stronger adherence to democratic procedures would help rebuild confidence.
Ultimately, however, the final judgment will not be delivered inside party secretariats or courtrooms. It will be delivered by millions of Nigerians on election day.
In every democracy, voters possess the ultimate power to reward credibility and reject political shortcuts. The 2027 elections may therefore become more than a contest between parties.
They may also become a referendum on whether Nigerians are willing to endorse candidates perceived to have emerged through the front door of democracy—or the back door of political convenience.
In my view, every backdoor candidate should be rejected by the electorate as a strong message to all political parties that lack internal democracy.
Adelakun writes from Lagos Nigeria
Leave a Reply