North-Central APC Forum Rejects Second-Term Primaries, warning the policy could trigger crisis and weaken the party before 2027
The North-Central All Progressives Congress Forum on Thursday in Abuja rejected calls for sitting governors seeking re-election in 2027 to participate in party primaries, warning that such a move could destabilise the ruling party.
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The North-Central APC Forum Rejects Second-Term Primaries position was contained in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga.
Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga described governors as the party’s “biggest assets” and argued that subjecting incumbents to competitive primaries would amount to disrespect and political miscalculation.
The position follows remarks attributed to the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, who was recently quoted as saying there would be no automatic tickets for governors and other officeholders seeking another term.
Countering that stance, the forum noted that since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, presidents and governors pursuing second terms have traditionally secured party tickets unopposed.
“It will amount to serious disrespect to the Office of the Governor. The biggest assets the party has are the President and the state governors. Allowing anyone to contest against them in primaries is not only disrespectful but also undermines the well-being of the party,” the statement said.
The forum cited the 2019 election cycle, recalling that no aspirant contested against the late former President Muhammadu Buhari in the APC presidential primary, while returning governors also went unchallenged.
Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga warned that compelling governors to face primaries could create division and provide openings for opposition parties ahead of the general election.
“We are calling on the National Executive Committee of the APC to urgently reconsider this idea. It will create disunity and crisis in the party because some people will come out just to cause confusion,” the statement said.
The forum further alleged that opposition parties could exploit open primaries by planting candidates to weaken incumbents and fracture internal cohesion.
However, the group clarified that primaries remain appropriate in states where a governor has completed a maximum tenure and a new administration is to emerge.
“In situations where a governor has rounded off his term and a new administration is coming in, a primary election is necessary, but not when a governor is going for a second term,” the statement added.
The forum also rejected suggestions that the National Working Committee should withhold party structures from incumbent governors ahead of nationwide congresses.
Responding to comments by former Deputy National Chairman Yekini Nabena, who cautioned against ceding structures to governors, the forum insisted that governors are the recognised leaders of the party in their states.
“The governors are the leaders of the party in every state, and the structure of the party rests with them,” the statement said.
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Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga concluded by urging the APC leadership to avoid any decision that could trigger internal crisis and weaken the party’s formidable standing before the 2027 elections.
