The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has taken a direct approach in nominating party agents for the 2027 general elections. According to a reliable source within the party, the NWC has requested some APC candidates to submit names of their proposed party agents directly to the national secretariat. This move is aimed at preventing possible sabotage of the party's chances in the forthcoming general elections.
The new arrangement is applicable in states where the NWC suspects that some governors are secretly sponsoring candidates on other political parties against APC candidates. A socio-political group, the Oodua Progressive Youths League (OPYL), had alleged that some governors directed their preferred candidates who lost in the National Assembly primaries of APC to pick tickets for the same positions in other political parties.
OPYL further alleged that the aggrieved governors had directed their candidates sponsored on other political parties to nominate their loyalists within APC as agents for the ruling party. The names of the agents were planned to be submitted to APC national secretariat as the party's officially recognized agents in their respective states.
A member of the National Assembly from Ondo State, who is also the party's candidate for the 2027 elections, confirmed the new development. The lawmaker, who subscribed to anonymity, revealed that the APC NWC had bypassed the governor of Ondo State and directed the party's candidates to submit the names of their agents directly to the national secretariat.
The lawmaker disclosed that all the candidates are already in possession of the forms for the agents. He said the national body instructed the State Chairman to give them the forms directly, and the chairman himself alluded that he was under instruction not to hand over the agents' forms to anyone except the candidates.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has denied directing any aspirant or candidate to contest against APC candidates on the platform of any other political parties. The governor described those behind the allegation of anti-party activities as "naysayers, blackmailers and slanderers." He declared that he has zero tolerance for anti-party activities.
The APC's move to take direct control of party agents' nominations is seen as a measure to prevent possible sabotage by some governors. The party's national leadership is monitoring the activities of APC governors across the country and may adopt a similar approach when disbursing election funds.
Key points
- APC's National Working Committee requests candidates to submit party agents' names directly to national secretariat amid fears of anti-party activities by some governors.
