According to a report by the punch on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, fresh tension has continued to spread within the All Progressives Congress following protests, petitions and allegations of manipulation linked to the party’s ongoing screening of aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The controversy reportedly emerged after several aspirants seeking Senate, House of Representatives and State Assembly tickets across states including Kogi State, Taraba State, Kano State and Jigawa State were disqualified during the screening process.
In Kogi State, some party members accused the state leadership of abandoning internal democracy and favouring selected aspirants through what critics described as imposed arrangements.
A party chieftain, Femi Olugbemi, criticised the development, saying, “Democracy within the APC in Kogi has been reduced to directives from above.”
He also alleged that aspirants with strong grassroots support were deliberately sidelined during the nomination process, warning that the situation could create deeper divisions within the party ahead of the primaries.
Similar complaints reportedly surfaced in other states, where aggrieved aspirants and supporters accused influential figures of manipulating the screening exercise in favour of preferred candidates.
In Taraba State, youth groups and stakeholders openly rejected the endorsement of Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau, insisting that the lawmaker had failed to justify another term in office.
Meanwhile, protests also trailed consensus arrangements in Kano State after some aspirants reportedly stepped down for former governor Ibrahim Shekarau following reconciliation efforts by party leaders.
The controversy further deepened in Jigawa State after former Speaker Isah Idris resigned from the APC following his disqualification from the screening exercise.
Party insiders warned that unresolved grievances from the screening process could lead to defections, anti-party activities and increased instability within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.