The All Progressives Congress (APC) has revised its earlier list of senatorial aspirants barred from participating in the party’s 2027 Senate primaries, quietly removing five names, including former Bayelsa East senator, Ben Murray-Bruce.
The updated list, released on Monday and signed by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, reduced the number of disqualified aspirants from 47 to 44.
No reason was given for the sudden changes.
Murray-Bruce, who featured prominently on the party’s initial disqualification list issued earlier in the day, was among those removed in the revised version, sparking fresh questions over the screening process.
Also dropped from the list were Chimzobam Kingsley Nnalue from Anambra North, alongside three Plateau aspirants Gyang Yaya Zi San (Plateau North), Napoleon Binkap Bah (Plateau South), and Usman Ephraim Gar (Plateau Central).
In a brief statement accompanying the revised list, Morka said the APC remained committed to transparency and orderliness in its ongoing primaries.
“The All Progressives Congress hereby releases an updated list of senatorial aspirants not cleared to participate in the party’s Senate primary elections,” he said, urging party stakeholders to uphold the integrity of the process.
Beyond the removals, the APC also introduced two new names from Nasarawa West.
Ibrahim Bala was listed as “not cleared,” while Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana was recorded as having voluntarily withdrawn from the race.
The party equally reviewed the status of several aspirants earlier marked as disqualified.
In Bayelsa, Benson Agadaga and Donald Daunemigita were no longer classified as “not cleared” but as voluntary withdrawals.
In Kebbi South, Garba Musa Mai Doki was listed as having defected, while Adam Mouktar Mohammed of Jigawa South-West was recorded as absent during screening.
The revised list still contains several notable political figures across different states.
Among those who remain disqualified are former Rivers deputy governor Ipalibo Banigo, businessman and politician Tein Jack-Rich, Tamunobaabo Danagogo, and several aspirants from Zamfara, Oyo, Kwara, Nasarawa and other states.
The APC has yet to explain the criteria used in clearing or disqualifying aspirants, or the reason behind the swift revision of the initial list.
The latest development comes amid heightened political activity and growing tensions surrounding party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
