Several serving members of the House of Representatives have failed to secure return tickets during the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among the prominent lawmakers affected was the House Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, whose bid for a third term representing Owan Federal Constituency in Edo State ended in defeat.
Ihonvbere lost the APC ticket to former Commissioner for Mining, Andrew Ijegbai, amid reports that a zoning arrangement between Owan East and Owan West influenced the outcome of the exercise.
Another serving lawmaker from Edo State, Eseosa Iyawe, also failed to clinch the APC ticket for Oredo Federal Constituency.
Iyawe lost to former Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu.
The lawmaker was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the Labour Party before later defecting to the APC during his stay in the Green Chamber.
Political observers say the outcome of the primaries may reshape the political landscape in Edo ahead of the next general elections.
In Imo State, four incumbent lawmakers were denied return tickets during the party primaries.
They include Matthew Nwogu, representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency; Miriam Onuoha of Okigwe South Federal Constituency; Harrison Nwadike, representing Isu/Njaba/Nkwerre/Nwangele Federal Constituency; and Emeka Martins Chinedu of Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency.
The development has sparked reactions among party supporters in the state, with some attributing the losses to internal political realignments and power blocs within the APC.
Also affected by the primaries was Ismail Kayode, the incumbent representative for Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa Federal Constituency in Kwara State.
Kayode lost the APC ticket to Rafiu Ajakaye, a former Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
In Kebbi State, incumbent lawmaker Mansur Musa Jega also lost the party ticket for Jega/Gwandu/Aleiro Federal Constituency.
His defeat followed a consensus arrangement that produced former Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Jafar Ahmed Jega, as the APC candidate.
The APC primaries in Jigawa State also produced major upsets, as four serving lawmakers lost their bids to return to the House of Representatives.
The affected lawmakers include Muktar Muhammad representing Kazaure/Roni/Gwiwa/Yankwashi Federal Constituency, Ibrahim Usman Auyo of Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency, Sa’adu Wada Taura representing Ringim/Taura Federal Constituency, and Yusif Sa’idu Miga of Jahun/Miga Federal Constituency.