Primaries: Candidates In Limbo As Parties Withhold Final Lists, Tighten Control Over Results

Despite the conclusion of primary elections across major political parties, uncertainty has continued to trail the fate of thousands of aspirants as national secretariats insist that final authority to ratify and announce candidates rests with their respective national leaderships.

Findings indicate that although governorship, National Assembly and state assembly primaries have been held in several states, no party has issued final Certificates of Return, with national headquarters of parties still reviewing reports from state-level electoral panels and appeal committees.

The development has left aspirants in suspense ahead of the 2027 general elections scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which has fixed deadlines for the conclusion of all party primaries, including the resolution of appeals.

At the centre of the unfolding situation is a growing insistence by parties that only their National Working Committees (NWCs) have the constitutional authority to ratify and announce winners of primaries before submission to INEC.

A senior figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed that the party’s national leadership is currently reviewing reports from various states amid controversies that trailed the exercises in several states, including Nasarawa, Kwara, Oyo, Bauchi, Kogi and Delta.

According to the source, appeal committees have submitted their reports, which are now being scrutinised before a final list is presented to the APC National Working Committee for approval.

“The states do not have the authority to announce final winners. Everything must be verified at the national secretariat before ratification,” the source said.

National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, had earlier reinforced this position, stressing that only the party’s NWC can officially confirm candidates emerging from primaries.

“The states cannot announce winners until the NWC gives its verdict,” he said.

A provision in the party’s constitution also empowers the NWC to review and ratify lists of candidates forwarded from the states after the conclusion of appeals.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintains that its role in party primaries is largely supervisory, with emphasis on monitoring compliance rather than determining outcomes.

A former INEC National Commissioner, Nick Dazang, explained that parties are at liberty to structure their internal nomination processes, provided they comply with their constitutions.

“If their party guidelines say the national working committee should make the final decision, then they are within their rights. INEC only observes,” he said.

However, concerns have been raised over rising disputes, allegations of irregularities and parallel claims of victory in several party primaries.

Within the APC, indications emerged that the final list of candidates could be released any moment, following the transmission of state-level results to the national secretariat.

Party insiders said the intervention of the national leadership became necessary due to complaints from aspirants who alleged manipulation and falsification of results by some electoral committees.

Some aggrieved aspirants have already rejected outcomes of the primaries, while others have reportedly exited the party in protest.

Former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, is among those who recently dumped the party over alleged irregularities, while former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, also raised concerns following the Nasarawa governorship primary.

A party source said the leadership is currently harmonising reports from appeal committees before presenting a final list for ratification.

“The NWC is expected to meet soon. Once that is done, the list will be released,” the source added.

In the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the National Executive Committee (NEC) has already approved most of the primary election results, except those with pending appeals as of May 29, 2026.

The party confirmed that lists of governorship and senatorial candidates are being finalised, even as disputes persist in states such as Kano, Ogun, Bauchi and Benue.

Similarly, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed circulating results on social media, insisting that only its NEC is empowered to announce authentic outcomes.

The party has scheduled emergency meetings to finalise its candidates’ list ahead of submission to INEC.

In the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), internal protests have trailed allegations of delegate list manipulation, with aggrieved aspirants accusing party officials of replacing duly elected delegates in some constituencies.

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