The publication of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s list of candidates for the 2027 elections has reopened internal disputes within the All Progressives Congress, with unresolved grievances from the party’s primaries resurfacing across several states.

INEC on Saturday published the list of governorship candidates and their running mates in Form EC9, providing greater clarity on the candidates that political parties will present for next year’s elections. However, the publication has also exposed lingering disagreements within the ruling APC over the outcome of its primaries and subsequent changes to candidates’ names.

The APC held its governorship primaries in May, but the process left several aspirants dissatisfied. In some states, aggrieved members have challenged the conduct of the primaries, while others have protested the substitution of candidates after the contests.

In Benue State, for instance, a legal battle has emerged over the replacement of some candidates believed to have won their primaries. House of Assembly aspirant Sesugh Kaaba approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to prevent INEC and the APC from recognising candidates who did not emerge from the party’s primaries. Judgment in the case has been adjourned to October 12.

The Benue dispute is linked to a wider power struggle between supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia and those aligned with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. Several candidates were reportedly substituted after complaints were raised over the primary results.

The APC is facing similar post-primary tensions in Kwara, where a group of aggrieved aspirants known as the G15 rejected the May 22 governorship primary that produced Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu as the party’s candidate. The dispute was followed by the defection of Senator Saliu Mustapha to the Peoples Democratic Party.

In Adamawa, the party has also faced allegations of candidate imposition, with some members claiming that candidates were adopted without properly conducted primaries. The controversy has contributed to defections, including the movement of some former APC candidates to opposition parties.

Similar disagreements have been reported in Nasarawa, Sokoto and Kebbi, where candidate selection disputes and defections have raised questions about the ability of the APC to maintain unity ahead of the 2027 elections. In Kebbi, Senator Garba Maidoki defected from the APC to the African Democratic Congress after being screened out of the party’s senatorial primary.

Ebonyi State has also recorded a legal challenge over the APC’s candidate list. Incumbent House of Representatives member Idu Igariwey is challenging the candidacy of Joseph Ekumankama, whose name appeared on the party’s final list after replacing Igariwey’s. The matter is expected to be decided by the court on September 9, 2026.

The renewed disputes are coming at a sensitive period for the ruling party, as the 2027 election campaign gradually gathers momentum. While APC leaders in some states have launched reconciliation efforts and insisted that the party remains strong enough to win, continued defections and court challenges could weaken its structures if the grievances are not resolved.

The party has previously moved to calm tensions in several states affected by post-primary disagreements, including Kwara, Nasarawa, Rivers, Adamawa, Benue, Bauchi and Taraba.

For the APC, the challenge now extends beyond securing official recognition for its candidates. It must also reconcile aggrieved aspirants, prevent further defections and keep its supporters united as the 2027 elections approach.

The INEC list has therefore not ended the party’s post-primary troubles; instead, it has brought many of the unresolved disputes into sharper public and legal focus