Isah Jibrin, the Kogi East senator, insists he is the “authentic candidate” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election, despite losing the primary and reportedly securing no votes in his own ward.
In the same state, former Governor Yahaya Bello overcame uncertainty over his screening status to clinch the Kogi Central senatorial ticket amid protests at the party’s national secretariat. Similar scenes of rejection, protests, competing victory claims and petitions played out in Benue, Delta, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers and several other states.
What initially appeared to be isolated disputes during the APC’s nationwide primaries have increasingly revealed deeper shifts in the ruling party’s internal power structure as it prepares for 2027.
An analysis of outcomes across states points to four emerging power centres shaping the party’s direction.
Governors as dominant gatekeepers
