A wave of mixed emotions is sweeping through the All Progressives Congress, APC as National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda shuts the door on automatic tickets for lawmakers, and with it, triggering quiet anxiety among incumbents and open excitement among their rivals eager to seize long-awaited opportunities.
Sadness and relief now define the mood within APC ranks after Yilwatda’s firm declaration that no sitting National Assembly member will be handed a free pass ahead of future elections.
For many lawmakers who had aligned themselves closely with party leadership, often toeing the line in anticipation of political rewards, the announcement has come as a rude shock. Behind the scenes, unease is growing as incumbents face the reality of returning to the trenches for fresh mandates.
But while the lawmakers fret, their challengers are celebrating.
Across constituencies, aspirants who had long complained of being shut out by entrenched incumbency are now sensing a level playing field, with party primaries set to become fierce battlegrounds.
Yilwatda, speaking during a media chat in Abuja, was unequivocal.
“There is no automatic ticket in our constitution. The party cannot promise an automatic ticket,” he said.
He anchored his position on both the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act, stressing that candidates must emerge either through consensus or direct primaries.
“The constitution of the party does not provide for automatic tickets… The Electoral Act also does not provide for automatic ticket,” he added.
Insiders say beyond legality, deeper political calculations may be at play.
In many constituencies, agitation for rotation of offices among different blocs has intensified, making automatic tickets politically risky. By throwing the race open, the party leadership may be seeking to balance competing interests and avoid internal implosions.
Yilwatda also hinted that performance would now be the ultimate test.
“The people and party members will judge those who have performed very well,” he said.
With that, the APC has effectively set the stage for a high-stakes internal contest—one that could redraw loyalties, unsettle incumbents, and ignite intense grassroots battles across the country.
