Opah, Galadima, Salihu, and Wadada Secure APC Gubernatorial Tickets for Abia, Adamawa, Kwara, and Nasarawa

*Party holds presidential primary today 

*Farah Dagogo emerges Rivers ADC governorship candidate

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Boniface Okoro in Umuahia, Daji Sani in Yola, Hameed Shittu in Ilorin, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

More governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged yesterday following the determination of contests to determine standard bearers for the party in the 2027 elections.
Results so far from Abia, Adamawa, Kwara and Nasarawa States showed that the primaries were conclusive in those states.
In Abia, business mogul Eric Opah clinched the ticket while Aminu Tijani Galadima emerged victorious in Adamawa. Also, former Speaker of the State Assembly, Danladi Salihu, won that of Kwara State, while Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada emerged as candidate in Nasarawa.

This comes as the ruling APC expressed its readiness to conduct its presidential primary election today. President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking re‑election, will face Stanley Osifo, an Edo State APC chieftain.  According to the party, all registered APC members will be eligible to vote for their preferred presidential aspirant in the election scheduled to be held across 8,809 wards nationwide.
In a related development, former House of Representatives member, Dr. Farah Dagogo has emerged the Rivers State Governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Meanwhile, for the governorship ticket, in Abia, Opah clinched the governorship ticket after defeating a former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh, in the direct primary conducted across the 184 electoral wards in the state.
Announcing the result early yesterday morning at the APC State Secretariat, Umuahia, the Returning Officer, Barthow Nyelong, said Opah polled 126,977 votes to beat Ikoh, who got 5,905 votes.
Nyelong said Opah met all requirements of the APC constitution and guidelines and therefore declared him the winner and the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

Voluntary withdrawal by Mascot Uzor Kalu, the third governorship aspirant duly cleared to contest for the ticket, made the primary a straight contest between Opah and Ikoh.
Abia APC heartily congratulated Opah on his “successful emergence” as the governorship candidate of the party following the governorship primaries held on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The congratulatory message was contained in a statement by the Abia APC Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, shortly after the results of the governorship primary were announced.

The party, which described Opah as “an internationally renowned businessman and distinguished leader,” said it was confident that the shipping magnate “possesses the leadership capacity, vision and experience required to lead the party to victory in the 2027 general elections and return the Government House to Umuahia under the banner of the APC.”
The emergence of Opah from Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area has set him against his kinsman and the Labour Party candidate, Governor Alex Otti, who hails from Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
The exercise in Adamawa State returned Galadima as its governorship flag bearer for the 2027 general elections following the conclusion of the party’s primary.

Chairman of the Governorship Primary Committee, Prof. Innocent Bariko, announced the result after reviewing the exercise against the party’s guidelines and constitution. He said Galadima met all requirements to be declared winner and standard bearer of the APC in the state.
According to the committee chairman, Galadima polled 401,444 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Abdulrazak Namdas, who secured 86,000 votes, while Abdulrahman Haske came third with 65,935 votes. The margin gave Galadima a decisive victory in the contest.
Bariko said the process was conducted in line with APC rules and that all aspirants were given a fair opportunity to participate. He added that the committee was satisfied that the outcome reflected the will of party members who took part in the primary.

The declaration positions Galadima as the official APC candidate heading into the 2027 governorship election in Adamawa. Party officials said the result will be forwarded to the national leadership for ratification.
Abdulrahman Haske, one of the aspirants in APC Adamawa State, raised concerns over the conduct of the exercise, while reaffirming his commitment to party unity and democratic ideals.
In an interview, Haske pointed out irregularities that, in his view, required careful review in the interest of strengthening internal party democracy ahead of