The All Progressives Congress has released the names of House of Representatives aspirants disqualified from participating in its forthcoming National Assembly primaries across several states ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The affected aspirants, drawn from Ondo State, Bauchi State, Ebonyi State, Kogi State and Rivers State, were marked “not cleared” following the party’s screening exercise for aspirants seeking tickets to contest various federal constituencies.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party said the screening process was conducted in line with established internal procedures.
According to the statement, “The screening exercise was conducted by the Party’s Screening Committees in line with established procedures and guidelines.”
Ondo State recorded the highest number of disqualified aspirants. Those listed as not cleared include Hon. Adefisoye Tajudeen for Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency; Olusegun Victor Ategbole and Seun Oluwashina Ajongbolo for Akoko South-East/South-West; Rt. Hon. Arowole Ayodeji Samuel for Owo/Ose; as well as Morufu Tosin Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi and Olaleye John Adedipe for Akoko North-East/North-West Federal Constituency.
In Bauchi State, Dr. Bashir Ibrahim Bello was disqualified from contesting the Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency primary.
Ebonyi State had Hon. Idu Igariwe listed as not cleared for the Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency race, while in Kogi State, Sanni Salau Ogembe was affected in the Okene/Ogori-Magongo Federal Constituency contest.
In Rivers State, those declared ineligible include Air Commodore John Azubuike Opara (retd) for Port Harcourt Federal Constituency, Hon. Anderson Allison Igbiki for Okrika/Ogu-Bolo Federal Constituency, Awaji Imombek D. Abirite for Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency, and Hon. Boma Goodhead for Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency.
The ruling party, however, did not disclose specific reasons for the disqualification of the aspirants.
Meanwhile, in Katsina State, Jamila Mani, Special Assistant on Girl Child Education and Development to Governor Dikko Radda, emerged victorious in the APC primary election for the Mani/Bindawa Federal Constituency.
In Adamawa State, the party’s direct primaries reportedly experienced disruptions in several wards due to the absence of electoral officials expected to supervise the process. Party members in Girei, Yola North and Yola South were said to have waited for hours without official communication on the commencement of the exercise.
The development adds another layer of tension to the APC’s internal nomination process as the party prepares for what is expected to be a highly competitive 2027 electoral cycle.
What You Should Know
The disqualification of multiple aspirants across key states highlights growing internal contestation within the APC as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Such screening exercises are often aimed at ensuring compliance with party rules, though the absence of publicly stated reasons may trigger grievances and appeals from affected aspirants. The disruptions reported in Adamawa also raise concerns about logistical coordination during the primaries.
How the APC manages these disputes will be crucial in maintaining internal cohesion and preventing defections or legal challenges that could weaken its electoral positioning ahead of the polls.
