(DDM) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) faces a potential wave of defections as lawmakers express concern over their chances of securing return tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that opposition parties are bracing for an influx of APC defectors beginning in April, triggered by fears that sitting state governors may handpick candidates for key legislative positions, sidelining incumbents.
According to sources, the defections are expected to follow the conduct of primaries across 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal constituencies, and 990 seats in the 36 State Houses of Assembly. The elimination of indirect primaries under the new Electoral Act has heightened lawmakers’ anxiety about their political futures.
Several APC lawmakers, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that governors who defected from opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now insist on controlling the selection of candidates in their states. This, they say, could prevent current APC members from securing nominations despite their service and popularity.
A Delta State lawmaker explained that some governors, having negotiated directly with APC leadership and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have secured agreements allowing them to produce flag bearers for the 2027 elections without consideration for party members who previously aligned with the APC.
“Governors control the structures of political parties in the states. Today, almost all the PDP governors have moved to the APC. They came with their own structures and allies. Unfortunately, the governors already reached agreements with the leadership of the APC and President Tinubu to allow them produce candidates for next year’s general elections,” the lawmaker said.
In response, some aggrieved lawmakers have reportedly begun opening discussions with rival parties—including the PDP, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Labour Party (LP)—to secure alternative tickets for the next parliamentary term. These lawmakers hope their individual popularity will translate into electoral victories even after leaving the APC.
Political analysts note that the unfolding scenario underscores how party structures and gubernatorial influence can shape candidate selection, often generating tension between party leadership and sitting legislators.
To mitigate defections, APC officials are reportedly planning to conduct their National Assembly and State House of Assembly primaries toward the end of the window permitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The strategy aims to limit the ability of excluded aspirants to secure nominations from opposition parties before May, effectively tightening the party’s control over candidate placement.
Observers say this dynamic reflects broader trends in Nigerian politics, where shifts in party allegiance, power consolidation by governors, and last-minute electoral maneuvering have increasingly influenced the balance of power in the lead-up to national elections.
As the 2027 elections approach, the APC faces a delicate balancing act: ensuring party cohesion, satisfying incumbent lawmakers, and managing the ambitions of powerful state governors, all while navigating competition from a resurgent opposition landscape.
The coming months will likely determine whether defections materialize into a nationwide “tsunami” or whether internal party strategies successfully retain lawmakers within the ruling party.
