CHUKWU DAVID writes on the celebrations, disappointments and protests that trailed the May 18, All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory
The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries held on May 18 have redrawn the map of the 11th Senate before a single vote is cast in the January 16, 2027 general election. Across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the exercise delivered a cocktail of protests, anger, celebration, disappointments and high-stakes horse trading. For many serving senators, the road ended in Abuja. For governors and former governors, a new path to the Red Chamber opened.
High turnover looms for 11th
Senate Early signs point to a massive turnover in the next National Assembly. The APC primaries across the 109 senatorial districts produced upsets, consensus victories and mass disqualifications that swept out ranking lawmakers and blocked the ambitions of new entrants. However, those who would be the worst hit were opposition members who defected to the ruling party seeking political refuge.
Many believed the APC platform guaranteed survival into 2027. Ironically, the primaries proved otherwise. Several defectors suffered what insiders call a “constructive total loss.” At the inauguration of the 10th Senate on June 13, 2023, the APC held a simple majority with 59 seats. The party was short of the 73 seats needed for a two-thirds supermajority.
The opposition collectively controlled 50 seats; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had 36, Labour Party (8), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP two), Social Democratic Party (SDP two), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA one) and Young Progressives Party (YPP one). Over time, fear of the ruling party drove mass defections from opposition benches to the APC. Many defectors expected automatic return tickets. Unfortunately, the May 18 primaries shattered that expectation.
Defections without deliverance
Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North was one of the high-profile casualties. Elected in 2023 on the PDP platform, he defected to the APC but lost the ticket to q former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who won with a wide margin. In Osun Central, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi also fell short. Fadeyi came to the Senate in 2023 on the platform PDP before defecting to the APC.
He lost to Barr. Kunle Adegoke (SAN). Adegoke polled 26,655 votes against Fadeyi’s 13,138. Edo South delivered another upset. Senator Neda Imasuen, elected on the platform of the Labour Party before defecting to the APC, was beaten by former House of Representatives member Omorgie Ogbeida-Ihama.
Disqualified at the gate
The APC screening committee barred at least 44 senatorial aspirants, including three serving senators who had defected from the PDP. Senator Ipalibo Banigo-Harry of Rivers West was among those disqualified. The former Deputy Governor under Nyesom Wike was blocked alongside Tein Jack-Rich, Tamunobaabo Danagogo and Ojukaye Flag-Amachree. Speaking to journalists in Rivers, Banigo said she was unaware of any political motive behind the decision.
Senator Benson Agadaga of Bayelsa East, who came to the Senate in 2023 on the platform of the PDP before defecting to the APC earlier this year, was listed as “not cleared” in the updated screening list released by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka. Senator Garba Maidoki of Kebbi South, another lawmaker who was elected intto the Senate on the PDP platform before joining the APC, was also disqualified.
Power play sinks APC heavyweights
Beyond defectors and disqualified aspirants, several APC senators who won their seats on the party’s platform in 2023 still lost at the polls. In Kogi East, Senator Jibrin Isah was defeated by Dr. Erico Ameh. Former Gombe State governor and four-term senator, Danjuma Goje, lost Gombe Central to a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed, reportedly backed by Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
Ahmed’s victory ends Goje’s 16-year run in the National Assembly. Benue produced two major shocks. Senator Emmanuel Udende of Benue North-East lost to former Governor Gabriel Suswam. Suswam scored 131,364 votes to Udende’s 1,364. Senator Titus Zam of Benue North-West fell to Benjamin Aber, who polled 93,412 votes against Zam’s 2,763. Both Udende and Zam are said to be casualties of the rift between Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
Ondo State saw two serving senators denied return tickets. Senators Adeniyi Adegbonmire of Ondo Central and Olajide Ipinsagba of Ondo North lost despite being APC members. Sources say the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu influenced their election to the 10th Assembly, and without his backing they could not survive the primaries.
In Plateau Central, incumbent Senator Diket Plang was defeated by David Barji. Barji polled 57,727 votes to Plang’s 1,423. Political observers believe Plang lost the support of Governor Caleb Mutfwang. Kwara Central incumbent senator, Lola Ashiru, also fell. Adewoye Olalekan won Kwara South with 65,256 votes. Faridah Dankaka scored 24,277 and Ashiru managed 21,001. Many disqualified or defeated aspirants are protesting and have appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the APC national leadership to intervene. With these results, it is clear that a significant number of serving senators will not return to the Upper Chamber after the 2027 elections.
Electoral Act cages senators after primary defeats
For many of the losers, the path to another platform is now blocked. The Electoral Act 2026 has ended the era of last-minute defections after primary losses. Section 77 of the Act (as amended) mandates all political parties to submit their electronic membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not later than 21 days before party primaries.
Only persons whose names appear on the submitted register are eligible to vote and be voted for in primaries, congresses and conventions. The law also voids dual membership of political parties. Offenders face a N10 million fine or two years imprisonment, or both.
For the 2027 general election, the deadline for submission of membership registers elapsed on May 10 before most party primaries were concluded. The impact hit hard during the APC primaries. At least 12 serving senators failed to secure return tickets and cannot seek alternative platforms.
They include Senators Gbenga Daniel of Ogun East, Diket Plang of Plateau Central, Emmanuel Udende of Benue North-East, Titus Zam of Benue West, Olubiyi Fadeyi of Osun Central and Ned Nwoko of Delta North. Also affected are Senator Neda Imasuen of Edo South, who defected to the APC from the Labour Party but lost the APC primary; Benson Agadaga of Bayelsa East and Garba Maidoki of Kebbi South, among others.
In previous cycles, lawmakers who lost primaries routinely defected to rival parties to secure fresh tickets. Under the new framework, that is no longer legally viable unless the lawmaker’s name was already in the alternative party’s register submitted to INEC before May 10.
This divides affected politicians into two groups. Some registered with alternative parties ahead of the primaries as a contingency. Others did not and now have no legal pathway to the 2027 ballot. About 70 APC lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly will not return in 2027, after losing in the primaries. Many cannot pursue their ambitions on other platforms due to the new law.
Opposition parties and political leaders have rejected aspects of the amended Electoral Act, calling provisions on primaries and membership registers a threat to internal party democracy and electoral competition. Supporters argue the law strengthens party discipline, curbs opportunistic defections, and ensures only genuine, registered members contest on a party’s platform. President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law in February 2026.
7 govs, 11 ex-govs secure
APC Senate ticket While many senators fell, governors and former governors surged. New Telegraph checks have revealed that no fewer than seven serving governors and eleven former governors secured APC senatorial tickets as the ruling party released its full list of candidates nationwide.
The lineup signals the APC’s plan to go into 2027 with its most formidable politicians to confront opposition challengers. Senate President Godswill Akpabio will fight to return for Akwa Ibom North-West. Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole clinched the Edo North ticket. Former Vice Presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa took Delta North.
7 governors in the race
Sitting governors on the APC Senate ticket are Dapo Abiodun for Ogun East, Abdullahi Sule for Nasarawa North, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for Kwara Central, Inuwa Yahaya for Gombe North, Mai Mala Buni for Yobe East, Hope Uzodimma for Imo West and Umaru Fintiri for Adamawa North.
11 ex-governors storm back
The former governors on the ticket are: Gabriel Suswam for Benue NorthEast, Ibrahim Shekarau for Kano Central, Yahaya Bello for Kogi Central, Simon Lalong for Plateau South, Orji Uzor Kalu for Abia North, Aliyu Wamakko for Sokoto Central, Abdulaziz Yari for Zamfara West, Adams Oshiomhole for Edo North, Adamu Aliero for Kebbi Central, Sani Bello for Niger North and Ramalan Yero for Kaduna North.
Returning senate heavyweights
Ali Ndume of Borno South, Opeyemi Bamidele of Ekiti Central, Jibrin Barau of Kano North and Ahmad Lawan of Yobe North, who served as President of the 9th Senate, also secured return tickets.
Women on the roll
The list features two female contenders for now. Kene Chiedu Ngozi Benedicta flies the APC flag in Anambra Central and Idiat Adebule runs for Lagos West.
State by state firepower
The lineup covers 36 states and the FCT. Lagos fields Wasiu Eshinlokun for Central, Idiat Adebule for West and Tokunbo Abiru for East. In Kano, it is Barau for North, Shekarau for Central and Abdulrahman Kawu for South.
Rivers will see Felix Obuah for West, Allwell Onyesoh for East and Barry Mwara for South-East. Kaduna’s ticket went to Ramalan Yero for North, Shehu Sani for Central and Sunday Katung for South.
