The All Progressives Congress (APC) has removed 26 high-profile aspirants, including former Benue Governor Gabriel Suswam and ex-House member Gbenga Elegbeleye, from its final list of National Assembly candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The sweeping changes, approved by the APC National Working Committee (NWC), affect 7 senatorial and 19 House of Representatives seats across 9 states: Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi.
—NWC cites appeal panel findings—
In a joint letter to INEC signed by National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru, the party said the replacements followed recommendations by its Primary Election Appeal Committee.
“We write to formally forward the attached list of the party’s candidates for the affected senatorial and House of Representatives constituencies arising from the report of the Primary Election Appeal Committee,” the letter stated.
“The Reports of the Appeal Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the NWC of the APC as the party’s final position on the affected constituencies.”
The APC said the exercise complied with the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines, adding: “We hereby transmit the enclosed list of the approved candidates for seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies for your records and necessary action.”
—Major Senate Casualties–,
The senatorial shake-up upended several high-profile contests:
– Benue North East: Former Governor Gabriel Suswam replaced by Emmanuel Memga Udende
– Benue North West: Benjamin T. Aber replaced by Titus Tartenger Zam
– Ondo North: Gbenga Elegbeleye replaced by Olajide Ipinsagbe
– Ondo Central: Taiwo Fasorati replaced by Adeniyi Adegbonmire
– Kogi West: Aro Samuel Bamidele replaced by incumbent Senator Sunday Karimi
– Abia South: Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu replaced by Prince Paul Ikonne
– Taraba North: Mohammed Kabir Bello replaced by Shuibu Isa Lau
—House of Reps hit hardest in Benue, Ondo—
The House of Representatives list recorded the most replacements.
In Benue State, five winners were dropped, including Ikper Chris Terfa of Makurdi/Guma, replaced by Dickson Tarkighir, and Livinus Tsar Adzor of Vandekiya/Konshisha, replaced by Sesoo Ikpagher.
Ondo State saw six federal constituency tickets altered. Key changes include Akingboye Leke replaced by Donald Ojogo in Ilaje/Ese-Odo, and Rasaq Obe replaced by Festus Olarewaju in Idanre.
Similar substitutions were confirmed in Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna, and Ebonyi as the party finalizes its slate ahead of the general elections.
—What it means—
The purge signals the APC’s effort to settle internal disputes from its primaries and present a united front. However, dropping established names like Suswam and Elegbeleye could trigger defections or internal backlash in key battleground states.
[Source: The Nation]
