At least 70 of the 330 senators and House of Representatives members currently serving in the National Assembly will not return for the 2027 elections. This development follows the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial and House of Representatives primary elections, where many incumbents failed to secure their party's ticket.
APC Primaries Results Not Yet Finalized
The final results of the primaries have not been officially released by the party. However, the affected lawmakers are unable to defect to another party to contest due to provisions in the new Electoral Act.
The APC currently holds 242 seats in the House of Representatives and 88 in the Senate. Most of these lawmakers were seeking re-election, including a former Labour Party member representing Kaura Constituency in Kaduna, who was disqualified during screening.
Former Labour Party Defectors Lose Primaries
According to Vanguard, several federal lawmakers who were elected on the Labour Party platform but later defected to the APC have lost their re-election bids in the ruling party's primaries. Among them are:
- Esosa Iyawo (Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo State)
- Neda Imasuen (Edo South Senatorial District)
- Tochukwu Okere (Imo State)
- Bassey Akiba (Cross River State)
- Daulyop Fom (Plateau State)
Senators Who Will Not Return
APC senators who either withdrew or stepped down from the race include:
- Gbenga Daniel (Ogun State)
- Diket Plang (Plateau Central)
- Osita Izunaso (Imo West)
- Emmanuel Udende (Benue North-East)
- Titus Zam (Benue West)
- Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central)
- Salisu Mustapha (Kwara State)
- Ned Nwoko (Delta North)
Ratification Pending by APC Leadership
The defeat of these lawmakers is subject to ratification by the APC leadership. Currently, at least 58 representatives and 12 senators will not return to the National Assembly as they failed to secure the party's ticket. They cannot contest on another platform due to the Electoral Act, as the deadline for party membership submission ended on May 10.
The primary elections were marred by complaints and protests across the country. In Ondo Central, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire narrowly escaped an attack by armed thugs at his polling unit.
Gbajabiamila Encourages ADC Lawmaker
Legit.ng earlier reported that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, urged Leke Abejide to remain in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Gbajabiamila stated that the ruling party is satisfied with Abejide's membership in the ADC and encouraged him to fight for the party.
This comment comes amid the leadership crisis in the ADC between factions of Nafiu Bala and David Mark.
