Why APC Has Not Released Official List of 2027 Successful Candidates – Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has said that the party has not published the official list of candidates that emerged from its primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yilwatda on Thursday said no final decision had been taken on the candidates that emerged from its recent nationwide primaries as petitions and appeal reports were being reviewed by its legal department and the National Working Committee (NWC).

The party’s chairman, APC, said it would not submit any list of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) until the reviews are completed.

Some disgruntled stakeholders of the Niger South Senatorial District on Thursday stormed the APC National Secretariat in Abuja to demand the cancellation of the senatorial primary election held in the district. It was learnt that Yilwatda made the position of the party known.

Protesters alleged widespread irregularities in the exercise and called for a fresh primary election, insisting that the process that produced a candidate for the district did not reflect the wishes of party members.

Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, the Deputy National Secretary of the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) who spoke on behalf of the protesters alleged that there was no genuine primary election as results were announced before voting materials got to the designated centres.

He said party members in the predominantly Nupe speaking district had gathered and were waiting to vote when they were told that results had already been declared.

He also alleged that the result was announced at the Government House in Minna and not at the APC zonal office in Bida where senatorial primary results were usually announced.

The protesters said the departure from established procedures raised questions about the credibility of the exercise and suggested the result was predetermined.

“We are demanding justice and a new, open and transparent primary election. “What happened cannot be called a democratic process,” another protester said.

The stakeholders also called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure fairness and justice and appealed to the APC leadership to intervene and address the grievances of the party members.

In response, Yilwatda said the procedures for contesting the outcome of primaries were clearly defined in the Electoral Act and the party’s internal guidelines.

He said only the candidates who took part in the contested primaries have the legal right to challenge the process and file formal complaints to the party’s Appeal Committee.

The APC chairman said the party’s legal department was currently reviewing reports from the various appeal committees and that all petitions submitted within the stipulated time frame would be looked into.

He therefore advised the aggrieved aspirants to follow the laid down channels to submit their objections.

“You should advise the affected aspirants to properly document any grievances and ensure that they are lodged through the approved channels. “The Appeal Committee reports are already with the legal department for review,” he said.

Yilwatda assured the protesters that any complaint on real breach of party rules or electoral procedures would be given due consideration.

He said once the legal department has completed its review, the reports would be forwarded to the National Working Committee for consideration before the party submits its final list of candidates.

“The process is not finalized until all appeal reports are reviewed. “We are awaiting the report of the legal department and then the National Working Committee will take the necessary decisions following due process,” he said.

Yilwatda’s comments reflect the increasing concern of APC members and aspirants over the delay in the release of the final list of party’s candidates for the 2027 general elections.