The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing a wave of legal challenges following the conclusion of its senatorial primaries, as aggrieved aspirants have turned to the judiciary to contest results they deem flawed. These court cases have raised fresh concerns about the internal cohesion of the ruling party less than a year before the 2027 general elections.
Court Cases Erupt After APC Senatorial Primaries
Several states have seen disgruntled candidates file lawsuits against the APC, alleging irregularities in the primary elections. The legal battles intensified after the party submitted its final list of senatorial candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Political analyst Omotayo Yusuf, speaking with Legit.ng, described the development as troubling but entirely predictable given the APC's dominance over three electoral cycles.
“It is to be expected. I mean, the APC is no longer a mushroom party; it is the dominant party in Nigeria and has been for the past three electoral cycles, and so the more bloated the party is, the higher the likelihood of things like this happening. So it is not surprising at all,” Yusuf said.
Analyst Says Internal Crisis Expected
Yusuf drew a comparison with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noting that internal rifts are a common feature of powerful political machines. He added: “The PDP, too, as a ruling party, faced an internal rift, but you would even say the APC so far has been able to manage internal rift and division better than even opposition parties. This is not unexpected. It is how it is managed that matters.”
The analyst emphasized that the APC's ability to resolve these disputes through internal mechanisms will determine whether the party maintains its unity ahead of the 2027 elections. He warned that unresolved grievances could lead to further defections and weaken the party's electoral prospects.
Zamfara Precedent Offers Cautionary Tale
Yusuf pointed to a past episode in Zamfara State as a stark reminder of what unresolved internal disputes can cost the APC. He said: “Remember that historically, the APC has lost an entire structure in Zamfara, I think, where the APC won because of internal crisis.” In that case, the Supreme Court stripped the APC of its electoral victories due to an unresolved primary dispute, handing the mandate to opposition parties. The Zamfara example remains one of the most glaring instances of how intra-party conflict can undo electoral gains.
With court cases now multiplying across states, the APC faces renewed pressure to resolve grievances through its internal dispute resolution mechanisms before matters escalate further in the courts. The party's leadership has yet to issue a formal statement on the legal challenges.
APC Faces Pressure to Resolve Grievances
Adding to the party's woes, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, who represents Osun Central Senatorial District, resigned from the APC and returned to the PDP barely 12 months after defecting to the ruling party. In his resignation letter addressed to the Senate President, Fadeyi cited a breach of prior agreements, lack of internal democracy, and total loss of confidence in the APC leadership in Osun State. This defection underscores the growing dissatisfaction within the party.
The legal battles and defections highlight the challenges facing the APC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections. Political observers note that the party's ability to manage internal crises will be critical to its continued dominance in Nigerian politics. For now, the courts remain a key battleground where the outcome of the primaries could be reshaped.
