The outcome of the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries has shown that many defectors from opposition parties failed to secure the ruling party’s tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the APC held its nationwide primaries from May 16, beginning with the House of Representatives contests, and concluded with the presidential primary on May 23, 2026.
The exercise produced candidates for the various elective positions ahead of next year’s polls.
The outcome has sparked complaints from aspirants who lost, especially lawmakers who defected from opposition parties to the APC after gaining seats in the National Assembly.
Over 120 members of the National Assembly, comprising senators and members of the House of Representatives, had defected from the parties that brought them into the Red and Green Chambers.
Many of them left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and other opposition platforms for the ruling APC.
Most of the defectors sought APC tickets to return to the National Assembly in 2027.
However, many of them failed to secure the party’s nomination, triggering outrage and allegations of unfair treatment.
The development has raised fresh questions over the political calculations of opposition lawmakers who moved to the APC with hopes of securing stronger platforms for re-election.
The APC primaries have generated controversy in several states, with some aspirants alleging imposition, manipulation and lack of internal democracy.
Party leaders, however, have maintained that the exercises were conducted in line with party guidelines and electoral laws.
Those affected include Hon. Nicholas Mutu, the lawmaker representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency of Delta State, who defected from PDP, the party that took him to the National Assembly for seven terms, to APC; Hon. Mike Etaba, a third-term lawmaker representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency of Cross River State, who dumped PDP for APC; and the member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State, Hon. Ngozi Okolie, who left LP for APC.
Others are Hon. Esosa Iyawe, the member representing Oredo Federal Constituency of Edo State, who defected from the Labour Party to APC; Hon. Matthew Nwogu, the lawmaker representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State, who left the Labour Party for APC; Hon. Mansur Musa Jega, the member representing Jega/Gwandu/Aleiro Federal Constituency of Kebbi State, who resigned from PDP and joined APC; and Hon. Bassey Akiba, the Odukpani/Calabar Municipality Federal Constituency representative of Cross River State, who defected from the Labour Party to APC.
Those who also lost APC primaries after dumping their former parties include Hon. Daniel Asama, the lawmaker representing Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State, who defected from the Labour Party to APC; Hon. Ajang Iliya of Jos South/Jos East in Plateau State, who decamped from the Labour Party to APC; and Hon. Donatus Mathew, an ex-okada rider who won a House of Representatives seat for Kaura Federal Constituency of Kaduna State on the platform of the Labour Party in 2023 but defected to APC in December 2024.
Similarly, Sen. Ned Nwoko (Delta North), who dumped PDP for APC, lost at the primaries, just like Neda Imasuen, the senator representing Edo South, who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections and defected to the ruling APC, as well as Hon. Nicholas Ossai, a former lawmaker from the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency of Delta State who dumped PDP for APC.
On the other hand, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, representative of the Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency; Hon. Boma Goodhead, who represents Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru Federal Constituency; retired Air Commodore John Azubuike Opara, aspirant for Port Harcourt Federal Constituency; and Anderson Allison Igbiki, contender for the Okrika/Ogu-Bolo Federal Constituency seat, all from Rivers State, who dumped PDP for APC, were disqualified, hence shut out of the primaries.
Also, Senator Benson Agadaga of Bayelsa East was elected to the Senate in 2023 on the PDP platform but defected to the APC earlier this year. Likewise, Senator Garba Maidoki of Kebbi South, another lawmaker who rose through the PDP ranks to the Senate before joining the ruling party, was also disqualified.