54 National Assembly Members Lose APC Primaries

Abbas, Lawan, Ndume, Oke, Wase, Faleke headline returning old guard

No fewer than 54 serving members of the National Assembly have lost their tickets to seek re-election into the National Assembly at the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.

The APC held the House of Representatives and senatorial primaries on Saturday, 16 May and Monday, 18 May 2026, respectively.

Some of the losers are ranking lawmakers who have been in the National Assembly for decades, while others are principal officers in the Green and Red Chambers of the federal legislature.

In the House of Representatives, the losers include Hon. Nicholas Mutu (Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency, Delta State); the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (Owan Federal Constituency, Edo State); Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun); and Mike Etaba (Obubra/Etung, Cross River).

Others are Ngozi Lawrence Okolie (Aniocha/Oshimili, Delta); David Zachariya (Igalamela/Idah, Kogi); Tijani Ahmed Ozigi (Okene/Ogori-Magongo, Kogi); Eseosa Iyawe (Oredo, Edo); Matthew Nwogu (Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala, Imo); Miriam Onuoha (Okigwe North, Imo); and Chike Okafor (Okigwe South, Imo).

Those who also lost their primaries and are not returning to the National Assembly are Harrison Nwadike (Isu/Njaba/Nkwerre/Nwangele, Imo); Emeka Martins Chinedu (Ahiazu/Ezinihitte, Imo); Ismail Kayode (Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa, Kwara); Mansur Musa Jega (Jega/Gwandu/Aleiro, Kebbi); Muktar Muhammad (Kazaure/Roni/Gwiwa Yankwashi, Jigawa); and Ibrahim Usman Auyo (Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa, Jigawa).

The lawmaker representing Ringim/Taura Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, Hon. Sa’adu Wada Taura, equally lost the ticket for the seat in the 2027 general election to Yushau Muhammad through consensus.

Others like him who are not returning to the Green Chamber are Yusif Sa’idu Miga (Jahun/Miga, Jigawa); Dickson Tarkighir (Makurdi/Guma, Benue); Terseer Ugbor (Kwande/Ushongo, Benue); Sesoo Ikpagher (Vandeikya/Konshisha, Benue); Asema Achado (Gwer East/Gwer West, Benue); Sekav Iortyom (Buruku, Benue); David Ogewu (Oju/Obi, Benue); Bassey Akiba (Odukpani/Calabar Municipality, Cross River); and Daniel Asama (Jos North/Bassa, Plateau).

In the keenly contested primaries, the likes of Vincent Bulus (Langtang, Plateau); John Dafaan (Qua’anpan/Shendam/Mikang, Plateau); Ajang Iliya (Jos South/Jos East, Plateau); Jeremiah Umaru (Wamba/Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon); Ari Mohamed Abdul-Mumin (Nasarawa/Toto); Abiodun Akinlade (Ipokia/Yewa South, Ogun); and Tunji Akinosi (Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun) also lost out.

Also, Femi Ogunbanwo (Odogbolu/Ijebu Ode/Ijebu North East, Ogun); Adesola Elegbeji (Remo, Ogun); and Jimi Odimayo (Okitipupa/Irele, Ondo) were defeated at the primaries by new entrants.

Donatus Mathew, an ex-commercial motorcycle 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 the APC in December 2024, lost his bid to return to the Green Chamber through his new party.

Also defeated are Timilehin Adelegbe (Owo/Ose, Ondo); Bashiru Dawodu (Oshodi-Isolo, Lagos); Kafilat Ogbara (Kosofe, Lagos); and the member representing Ekiti North II Federal Constituency, Akinlayo Kolawole, who lost the ticket to a former National Assembly member, Ibrahim Olarewaju.

Losers in the Senate are Ned Nwoko (Delta North), who was defeated by the immediate past governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa; Neda Imasuen; Jibrin Isah, who represents Kogi East Senatorial District and is popularly known as Echocho; Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, who has represented Gombe Central District for four consecutive terms; and Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central).

Also on the losers’ list are Senator Olajide Ipinsagba (Ondo North); Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East); Senator Diket Plang (Plateau Central); Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South); Senator Emmanuel Udende, who lost the Benue North East District ticket to a former governor of the state, Senator Gabriel Suswam; Senator Titus Zam (Benue North West); and Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central).

NASS ‘Landlords’ Close To Returning

Despite the major shake-up, some high-ranking lawmakers, known as ‘landlords’ for their long tenure in the National Assembly, may have a chance to return to the Red Chamber in the general election.

They include former Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who has been in the National Assembly since 1999. He was first elected into the House of Representatives and represented Bade/Jakusko Federal Constituency of Yobe State on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) between 1999 and 2007.

Senator Ali Ndume is also likely to return after winning his primary. Ndume has been in the National Assembly since 2003, first representing the Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency of Borno State from 2003 to 2011. He moved to the Senate in 2011 as the lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, a seat he has occupied to date.

Others include Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North) and Alhassan Doguwa (Doguwa/Tudun Wada), who has been in the Assembly for 21 years.

Oluwole Oke’s seventh consecutive attempt to become a federal lawmaker was successful after he won the APC primary. He currently represents Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Also in this league are Idris Wase (Wase Federal Constituency of Plateau State), who has spent about 19 years in the House, and Muktar Betara, who represents Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno. Betara is in his fifth term in the House of Representatives, having been elected since 2007.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, also won his primary election. He has spent about 15 years in parliament, having first been elected in 2011.

James Faleke, who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives, has been a member since 2011. He also secured the ticket to return to the Green Chamber in 2027, pending the general election.

Losers Reject Results

Across several states, aggrieved aspirants have continued to reject the primary results, threatening legal action and further deepening tensions within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Two aspirants in the APC senatorial primary election in Ekiti North Senatorial District, Ayodele Arise and Dare Owolabi, rejected the results, alleging manipulation and falsification.

The APC Senatorial Primary Election Committee declared the incumbent senator for the district, Dare Fasuyi, the winner of the exercise.

The committee said Fasuyi received 14,179 votes, Arise 4,868, Owolabi 2,836, and Dipo Bamisaye 3,694.

However, both Arise and Owolabi insisted they had won the shadow poll based on results collated from 33 wards where voting had been completed.

“I won the election, and I have proof. I was rigged out by the system. The result does not represent the wishes of the people. What happened yesterday was fraught with irregularities, fraud, violence and intimidation.

“Our formal petition to the APC National Working Committee is being filed with documentary evidence, ward-level results, affidavits and records from our monitoring system. I won the election, and I have proof. I was rigged out by the system,” Arise stated.

Also, the House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, who lost the APC ticket in the Owan East/Owan West Federal Constituency in Edo State, raised the alarm over alleged irregularities in the APC direct primaries conducted across various council wards in his constituency.

Ihonvbere rejected the result outright, declaring, “I did not lose the election. They did not even come to the field. They wrote some meaningless results and abused the returning officer to make an announcement.”

Another principal officer of the House, Hon.Ibrahim Ayokunle  Isiaka (Deputy Chief Whip), accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of orchestrating an “affirmation” process in favour of a preferred aspirant.

“There was no primary election in my federal constituency because my governor did not allow it. He only issued a directive to affirm his anointed candidate. I did not lose my primary election because none existed,” Isiaka alleged.

For Hon. Esosa Iyawe, who also lost the Oredo ticket to former Commissioner for Education Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, he alleged widespread irregularities.

“The process fell far short of the democratic standards and directives laid down by President Bola Tinubu for the elections.”

For now, whether their complaints will bring them any relief remains to be seen. However, with the court extending the deadline for parties’ membership to September, many of the aggrieved losers now have a chance to pursue their ambitions in other political parties.

EXPLAINER

1. Massive Upset

Over 50 National Assembly members lost APC tickets, signalling major political realignments before the 2027 elections.

2. Big Names Fall

Ranking lawmakers and principal officers were defeated by rivals, ex-governors and emerging political contenders during the primaries.

3. ‘Landlords’ Survive

Veteran lawmakers like Ahmad Lawan and Ali Ndume secured tickets to continue their long legislative careers.

4. Wave Of Protests

Aggrieved aspirants rejected the results, alleging manipulation, irregularities, intimidation and imposition of preferred candidates in several states.

5. 2027 Tensions Rise

The disputed primaries have deepened divisions within the APC, raising fears of legal battles and internal crises ahead of elections.