NASS Ticket Losses: APC Govs’ Loyalists Commence Legal Battle Against NWC, INEC

Aspirants backed by the governors of Benue and Ondo states, Hyacinth Alia and Lucky Aiyedatiwa, have commenced separate legal battles against the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress(APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) over the outcome of the party’s National Assembly primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The legal actions followed the failure of the governors’ preferred aspirants to secure the APC tickets during the recently concluded primaries.

APC had in a list of candidates sent to INEC, replaced a total of 26 high-profile aspirants, including former governors and members of the National Assembly, who had emerged as candidates in the primaries, by new flag-bearers in the affected constituencies.

The list, covering seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies across the nine states of Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi, followed the conclusion of the party’s appeals arising from its primary elections.

Already, a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the APC and INEC to maintain the status quo in the dispute over candidates that emerged from the Benue State primaries.

The order was made by Justice I. E. Ekwo while hearing Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026 filed by aggrieved APC aspirants from the state.

The plaintiffs are challenging what they described as attempts by the APC to alter the list of candidates that emerged from the primaries conducted in the state and monitored by INEC.

The aspirants had sought interim orders restraining the APC from substituting candidates it claimed were validly nominated through a June 29, 2026, correspondence or any subsequent communication to INEC pending the determination of the substantive suit.

They also asked the court to compel the party to forward to INEC the names of candidates they insisted legitimately emerged from the primaries.

Although Justice Ekwo declined to grant the ex parte application at the initial hearing, he subsequently directed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit.

In Ondo State, party sources disclosed that loyalists of Governor Aiyedatiwa who also failed to secure APC tickets had commenced legal proceedings challenging the outcome of the primaries.

According to multiple party sources, the governor allegedly directed the affected aspirants to seek judicial redress after they lost the party’s tickets despite being regarded as his preferred candidates.

The aggrieved aspirants were said to have engaged the law firm of Remi Olatubora (SAN) to challenge the outcome of the primaries and the list of candidates submitted by the APC to INEC.

The aspirants include Gbenga Elegbeleye (Ondo North Senatorial District), Dr Taiwo Fasoranti (Ondo Central Senatorial District), Leke Akingboye (Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency), Rasaq Obe (Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency), Kayode Ijalana (Owo/Ose Federal Constituency), Oyerinmade Matthew (Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency) and Olumuyiwa Daramola (Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency).

Party insiders said the lawsuits, if successful, could significantly affect the APC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

It was further learnt that the national leadership of the party was closely monitoring the legal actions instituted by some of the governor’s loyalists.

A party chieftain in Abuja, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the matter, criticised the decision to challenge the primary outcome in court.

He said, “It is disheartening that Governor Aiyedatiwa, who once benefited from the support of the party leadership, particularly President Bola Tinubu, would now encourage his loyalists who lost the party tickets to seek judicial intervention.

“No election is perfect. Even elections in America are not perfect. Was the primary that produced him as the APC governorship candidate in 2024 perfect? We are aware that it took the intervention of President Tinubu before Senator Jimoh Ibrahim withdrew his court case challenging the outcome of that primary.

“But in Governor Aiyedatiwa’s case, he wants to rock the boat simply because he did not have his way. Is he truly acting in the interest of the party? He must understand that in politics, one cannot always have one’s way. Since the APC was formed, not every decision taken by the party has favoured President Tinubu.

“It is unfortunate that a governor who has benefited immensely from the national leadership of the party, from the period of his impeachment crisis to his emergence as the governorship candidate, is now encouraging actions that could undermine the party because his preferred aspirants failed to secure the tickets.”

This came as APC made subtle appeal to some aggrieved aspirants in the recently held primaries to shed court action against the party.

According to APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party was activating its internal conflict resolution mechanism to address the concerns of aggrieved aspirants.

“The party’s internal conflict resolution mechanism is being deployed and we are making tremendous progress,” he stated.