By Kenneth Eze, a Civil Society Actor.
Introduction
ABUJA – In the early hours of Thursday, May 21, 2026, as collation officers in Taraba State attempted to tally votes from the All-Progressive Congress (APC) governorship primaries, gunshots rang out at a collation centre in Jalingo. Witnesses described scenes of ballot snatching and thuggery, a stark contrast to the peaceful, sanitized process President Bola Tinubu would later praise at his polling unit in Lagos two days later.
The conclusion of the All Progressive Congress (APC) primaries across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory has once again placed the issue of internal party democracy at the center of national discourse. From the House of Representatives primaries held on May 18, to governorship and state assembly primaries conducted between May 19 and May 21, and finally the presidential primary held on May 23, political developments within the ruling party have generated widespread reactions from party stakeholders, civil society organisations, legal analysts and ordinary Nigerians.
While the APC leadership has described the exercises as largely successful and reflective of democratic participation, many aspirants and party members across several states have openly rejected the outcomes. Allegations of imposition of candidates, intimidation of delegates and party members, manipulation of figures during direct primaries, exclusion of aspirants, and abuse of consensus arrangements have trailed the process in many states.
These developments have renewed concerns over whether political parties in Nigeria are genuinely committed to democratic principles or merely paying lip service to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Under the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are permitted to nominate candidates through either direct primaries or consensus arrangements. However, the law also prescribes strict conditions for the adoption of consensus candidacy. Section 87(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides that:
“A political party that adopts a consensus candidate shall secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for the position, indicating their voluntary withdrawal from the race and their endorsement of the consensus candidate.”
The law further states that where such consent cannot be secured from all aspirants, the party must revert to direct primaries.
This provision was introduced to prevent the abuse of consensus arrangements by party leaders and political godfathers. Legal experts and democratic advocates have repeatedly argued that consensus cannot lawfully exist where aspirants are coerced, excluded or denied equal participation.
Across many states during the APC primaries, however, reports emerged suggesting that consensus arrangements were declared even where aspirants openly protested the process or rejected the outcome. In several instances, aspirants alleged that no written withdrawal or endorsement was obtained from them before candidates were announced.
While the Presidential primary was a foregone conclusion given the lack of significant opposition to incumbent President Bola Tinubu, the sub-national elections exposed a ruling party deeply divided between the will of its members and the power of sitting governors.
This article provides a balanced, non-partisan analysis of the APC primaries, contrasting the lawful conduct of the exercises with the alleged violations of the newly signed electoral law. The focus is strictly on the APC, as other political parties are yet to conduct their primaries as of this publication.
The Legal Framework: The 2026 Electoral Act
To understand the crisis, one must first look at the law. The 2026 Electoral Act introduced radical changes to how parties nominate candidates. Specifically, the Act abolished the indirect or delegates system that had long been criticized for being susceptible to bribery and godfatherism. In its place, Section 87(2) mandates two methods: Direct Primaries and Consensus.
However, the "Consensus" provision is a legal minefield that many APC chapters appear to have stepped on. Section 87(4) of the 2026 Electoral Act strictly provides that a political party that intends to adopt a consensus candidate must secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for that position.
The law further stipulates that where a consensus candidate is to be adopted, a special election or "vote of consent" must be conducted at a designated centre where the aspirants formally step down in writing.
Where this condition is not met—if even a single aspirant refuses to sign the withdrawal or consent form—the party must revert immediately to a Direct Primary involving all registered party members.
The States of Exception: The 13 Incumbents
In few states, the APC primary was a textbook definition of how a process should look. In states like Enugu, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto, sitting governors seeking a second term ran virtually unopposed either through consensus or direct primaries.
Similarly, in states like Ebonyi, Delta, and Akwa Ibom, the affirmation of incumbents passed without the violence seen in competitive states.
That is to say that in states where outgoing governors are completing their constitutionally permitted two terms, succession battles reportedly became more contentious. The struggle by political interests to install preferred successors generated serious divisions within state chapters of the party.
Yobe State became one of the focal points of debate surrounding consensus candidacy after concerns were raised publicly regarding whether the process complied with the Electoral Act.
The Failure of Consensus: A National Violation
The primary source of the illegality stems from the attempt to force "Consensus" candidates in states where incumbents are term-limited or unpopular.
Nasarawa State: The state became a flashpoint where the party leadership allegedly attempted to impose Senator Ahmed Wadada as the consensus candidate despite objections from other aspirants.
Oyo State: With 11 aspirants vying for the ticket, there was never a realistic possibility of a lawful consensus arrangement.
Delta North (Senatorial): Senator Ned Nwoko alleged that the process was manipulated through centralized collation procedures that undermined transparency at the ward level.
The Direct Primary Fraud: Counting Ghosts
Even in states that abandoned consensus for direct primaries, the process often fell short of the legal standard due to alleged figure manipulation.
In Gombe State, concerns were raised regarding the credibility of accreditation figures announced after voting.
Similar allegations emerged in Rivers, Kwara and Bauchi states where stakeholders questioned the transparency and legality of the processes.
The Presidential Primary: A Walkover
The Presidential primary held on May 23, 2026, proceeded without significant opposition to President Bola Tinubu. While peaceful, critics argue that the calm at the presidential level does not erase concerns raised across state primaries.
Sanctions and Legitimacy
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) now faces mounting pressure to enforce compliance with the Electoral Act.
Legal analysts insist that INEC must ensure that nominations conducted in substantial violation of the law are not recognized.
Civil society organisations argue that failure to enforce compliance could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system and encourage political impunity.
Many observers also warn that unresolved irregularities during party primaries could negatively affect the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
Conclusion
The 2026 APC primaries present a tale of two parties. In states with incumbents seeking re-election, the process largely met democratic expectations. However, in many open-seat contests, allegations of imposition, irregular consensus arrangements and manipulation have raised serious legal and democratic concerns.
If INEC fails to enforce the provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act where substantial violations occurred, critics warn that the credibility of the 2027 general election could be significantly undermined.
