2027: Discontent as APC dumps more than 50 Reps, Senators

There are indications that no fewer than 50 current members of the 10th House of Representatives and some current senators will not be in the 11th National Assembly.

The development comes on the heels of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primaries held nationwide. 

DAILY POST reports that although the APC is yet to officially release full results of the primaries, findings showed that the figures may go higher.

Several lawmakers affected by the primaries are reportedly shocked by the speed with which political alliances quickly shifted against them.

Recall that for months, members of the National Assembly defended controversial reforms, passed executive-backed bills and absorbed the political heat that came with difficult economic policies.

From the removal of fuel subsidy to amendments to the Electoral Act and several fiscal measures, APC lawmakers repeatedly rallied behind executive proposals, often in the face of stiff opposition from Nigerians struggling with inflation and economic hardship.

But as the APC primaries unfold ahead of the 2027 elections, many of those same lawmakers are discovering that loyalty to the presidency may not after all guarantee political survival.

DAILY POST reports that threats of litigation and silent protests are emerging from aggrieved aspirants who insist the primaries lacked transparency and fairness.

Leading lawmakers who lost re-election tickets of the APC include Nicholas Mutu (Bomadi/Patani, Delta State and Mike Etaba (Obubra/Etung, Cross River)

Mutu has been in the House since 1999, while Etaba missed fourth term ticket.

Also, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, the Majority Leader of the House Representatives, is among the non-returning legislators.

The member representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, lost his bid for a third term.

Cross River

In Cross River State, five of the eight serving Reps lost out.

Among those denied tickets are lawmakers with multiple terms in the National Assembly. 

They include three-term member, Mike Etaba, representing Obubra/Etung; two-term member, Alex Egbona, representing Abi/Yakurr, who defected to the PDP before the deadline; one-term member, Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala federal constituency; one-term member, Emil Inyang, representing Akamkpa/Biase federal constituency and one-term member, Bassey Akiba, representing Odukpani/Calabar Municipality.

Rivers

In Rivers State, those who lost out include John Azubuike Opara, Air Commodore, retd; Anderson Allison Igbiki, Awaji Imombek Abiante, and Boma Goodhead (currently representing Andoni/Opobo and Asari-Toru federal constituencies respectively in the House of Representatives).

Delta

In Delta State, incumbent losers are Nicholas Mutu, Bomadi/Patani; Ngozi Lawrence Okolie, who lost Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency to former House Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu.

Also notable in Delta are Senators Ovie Omo-Agege and Ned Nwoko who will not be returning to the Senate. They both lost out during the APC primary election. 

Ekiti

In Ekiti State, three incumbent lawmakers crashed out during the party primaries.

Abiodun Omoleye and Rufus Adeni Ojuawo lost out.

While in Ekiti North federal constituency II, Ibrahim Olanrewaju also polled 6,856 votes to outwit the incumbent, who scored 2,102 votes.

Ogun

In Ogun State, five of the nine serving lawmakers failed to secure tickets to return to the Green Chamber, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Among those who lost their bids were Ishaq Akinlade of Yewa North/Ipokia Federal Constituency, Ibrahim Isiaka, representing Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency and serving as Deputy Chief Whip; Tunji Akinosi of Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency and Femi Ogunbanwo of Ijebu Ode/Ijebu North East/Odogbolu Federal Constituency.

Enugu

Two of the Labour Party lawmakers who defected to the APC, Hon Paul Nnamdi, representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency and Hon Sunday Umeha, representing Udi/Ezeagu, were also dumped out. 

Senator draws battle line

A Kogi East Senator, Jibrin Isah, dares Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo after losing out in the All Progressives Congress, APC primaries.

Echocho, who represents Kogi East Senatorial District, made the remarks in a fiery video message that has since gone viral across the state, deepening fears of a looming supremacy battle within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 political cycle.

The senator alleged that the APC Senate primary election was compromised from the outset, claiming that no genuine voting took place in his ward and that results were allegedly prepared in Government House before the exercise even began.

“That result is a nullity, and that result cannot even be announced,” Echocho declared angrily.

“I have been very supportive of your administration. I have been very loyal to you and to GYB.

“But since you are now out to fight me, take it from me today, the battle line has been drawn,” he warned.

Lawmaker from Ekiti, Teju Okuyiga expresses dissatisfaction

Meanwhile, a member of the House of Representatives from Ekiti state, Okuyiga expressed dissatisfaction with the exercise, saying “the electoral process was not followed. 

According to him, party guidelines for delegate accreditation, voting and collation were openly disregarded in multiple wards.

“Figures were allocated, and results were announced in several wards where no voting took place. No election in most wards. In a significant number of wards across my three constituencies, there was no voting, no ballot papers, and no opportunity for delegates to exercise their franchise.

“The process was manipulated to disenfranchise supporters and undermine my candidacy as the only female aspirant in this race. This was not an election,” he said.

Ex-REC Igini forewarned lawmakers

DAILY POST reported how a former Independent National Electoral Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, warned members of the National Assembly a few months ago over the then proposed amendment to the electoral act.

Igini foretold that the lawmakers may struggle to retain their seats in 2027 if they fail to guarantee mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results in the Electoral Act.

In a statement titled “Proviso to Real-Time E-Transmission of Polling Unit Results: Why a Majority of Legislators May Not Return in 2027″, Igini asked Nigerian lawmakers to learn from past electoral cycles.

He argued that unresolved gaps in the legal framework had historically undermined incumbents.

According to him, previous Assemblies failed to address structural weaknesses that later worked against many legislators.

Igini further warned that members of the current National Assembly risk facing similar political consequences if ambiguities remain.

“Those earlier Assemblies, for reasons of convenience and party loyalty, refused to address well-documented election rigging vulnerabilities in our electoral laws, like the very proviso now introduced by the Senate, to qualify direct electronic transmission.

“Such lacunae were exploited to subvert polling-unit outcomes during their tenure by those who denied them re-election party tickets, rendering them victims of the very defects they declined to remedy or introduce to the Act.

“A majority of incumbent legislators who were denied re-nomination tickets by party governors and principal officers of their parties, even when they secured alternative platforms thereafter, were ultimately defeated through manipulation of polling unit results during collation processes, despite robust grassroots support they legitimately obtained in their constituencies and won at polling units.

“The 10th Assembly now stands perilously close to replicating this lamentable pattern. Those Members not favoured or not in the good books of their respective State Governors or party leaders will foreseeably be denied tickets and, given the prospects of an unprotected or unsecured electronic transmission of polling unit results, will find it exceedingly difficult to translate constituency endorsement, however strong they may be, into electoral victory,” Igini said.

Lawmakers dug pits for opposition, fell into it — Analyst

A communication expert at Peaceland University, Nduka Odo, has criticised lawmakers lamenting alleged manipulation of party primaries after losing their re-election tickets, saying they are victims of a system they helped create.

Speaking with DAILY POST on Tuesday, Odo said many lawmakers failed to realise that amendments introduced into the Electoral Act would eventually be used against them.

According to him, politicians who once supported executive influence and party supremacy are now “wailing” after governors allegedly hijacked the primary process.

“This is how laws were supposed to be — like a double-edged sword. When laws are made, they affect everyone, including those who made them,” he said.

“They gladly dug pits for the opposition, forgetting that they too could fall into it.”

Odo argued that lawmakers handed excessive powers to governors through provisions in the Electoral Act without properly scrutinising the implications.

“They were busy singing, ‘On Your Mandate, We Shall Stand,’ and failed to read and digest the amendment to the Electoral Act,” he added.

The communication scholar further accused the legislature and judiciary of abandoning their constitutional role of checking the excesses of the executive arm of government.

According to him, Nigeria’s political system has been weakened by what he described as blind loyalty to the executive.

“The three arms of government are designed to check one another, but today the legislature and judiciary are standing on the mandate of the chief executive,” he stated.

He cited remarks allegedly made by Desmond Elliot during the impeachment crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly as evidence of what he termed a “rubber-stamp legislature.”

Odo, however, expressed support for the Electoral Act Amendment, insisting that despite current abuses, the law would eventually help strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and reduce political excesses.

“I like the Electoral Act Amendment. We may not see much of its positive impact now, but in time, we will appreciate its benefits,” he said.

He maintained that politicians who lose party primaries should remain loyal to their parties and support whoever emerges as their candidate.