APC Faces Growing Internal Tensions as Primary Disputes Spread Ahead of 2027 Elections

Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress is facing growing internal tensions as disagreements following recent primary elections continue to create divisions among party leaders and aspirants in several states.

The latest developments have placed renewed pressure on the party’s national leadership and President Bola Tinubu as the APC attempts to resolve internal disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia has expressed confidence that disagreements within the state chapter of the party will eventually be resolved following a meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.

Meanwhile, in Kwara State, a coalition involving 10 APC governorship aspirants and other party stakeholders has staged a protest over what it described as exclusionary leadership within the state chapter.

The developments highlight the challenge facing the ruling party as it attempts to manage competing political interests following a series of closely contested and controversial primary elections.

Alia Meets Tinubu Amid Benue APC Tensions

Governor Hyacinth Alia met President Tinubu following disagreements that emerged after the APC’s recent primary elections in Benue State.

Speaking after the meeting, Alia acknowledged that there had been agitations among party members following the primaries but expressed confidence that the disagreements would eventually be resolved.

The governor said he believed the party would remain united and continue working as one political family.

The political tension in Benue comes against the background of a long-running struggle for influence within the state APC involving supporters of Governor Alia and political interests associated with Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume.

Recent primary elections and subsequent reviews of some results have intensified political disagreements within the party.

Despite the tensions, Alia has maintained that the APC can overcome its internal differences and remain competitive ahead of the 2027 elections.

Benue Politics Tests APC Reconciliation Efforts

The Benue crisis represents an important test of the APC’s ability to reconcile powerful political interests within its own ranks.

Governor Alia has built a significant political structure since becoming governor, while George Akume remains one of the most influential political figures in the state and currently occupies the powerful position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Disagreements between political camps linked to both men have previously created divisions within the state chapter of the party.

The recent primary elections added another layer to the dispute as competing groups sought control over National Assembly and other political tickets.

President Tinubu and the APC national leadership now face the challenge of balancing these interests without allowing internal disagreements to weaken the party before the general elections.

Kwara APC Stakeholders Take Protest to the Streets

While reconciliation efforts continue in Benue, tensions within the Kwara State chapter of the APC have also moved into the open.

A coalition involving 10 governorship aspirants and other stakeholders staged a rally in Ilorin, protesting what they described as an exclusionary leadership style within the party.

The group appealed to President Tinubu to intervene in the crisis and help resolve the disagreements.

The coalition reportedly includes governorship aspirants, serving senators, National Assembly members, state lawmakers, party elders and youth and women leaders.

During the protest, participants carried placards warning that the APC in Kwara was facing serious internal problems.

The protesters argued that the management of the party’s affairs had created dissatisfaction among important stakeholders and warned that unresolved disagreements could damage the APC’s electoral prospects.

Kwara Party Leadership Defends Its Position

The protest came as the recognised leadership of the Kwara APC continued activities surrounding the party’s candidates for the 2027 elections.

The party leadership presented its candidates to the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, seeking royal blessings ahead of the elections.

The development demonstrates the sharp political divide within the state chapter.

While one group is moving ahead with preparations for the general elections, aggrieved stakeholders are demanding intervention from the national leadership.

The situation could become a significant challenge for the APC if reconciliation efforts fail.

Kwara has been an important political state for the ruling party, and prolonged internal divisions could create opportunities for opposition parties seeking to challenge the APC in 2027.

Primary Elections Leave Political Wounds

The disputes in Benue and Kwara reflect a broader challenge facing political parties after primary elections.

Party primaries often create winners and losers, but the ability to manage the aftermath can determine whether a political party enters a general election united or divided.

In some cases, unsuccessful aspirants accept party decisions and support successful candidates.

In others, disagreements over the conduct of primaries, candidate substitutions or the influence of powerful political figures can lead to defections, court cases or internal opposition during the general election.

For the APC, resolving these disputes will be particularly important as the party prepares to defend its position at the federal level and across several states.

Tinubu Faces Growing Reconciliation Challenge

President Tinubu is increasingly being asked to intervene in disputes within the ruling party.

In Benue, the governor’s meeting with the president has placed attention on efforts to calm post-primary tensions.

In Kwara, aggrieved aspirants and stakeholders are openly calling on the president to intervene.

The situation presents a difficult political balancing act.

Intervening too strongly in state-level disputes could create accusations of favouritism, while allowing disagreements to continue could weaken party unity ahead of the elections.

The APC leadership will therefore need to find solutions that keep influential political figures within the party while maintaining confidence in its internal democratic processes.

2027 Elections Put Pressure on Party Unity

As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, internal unity will become increasingly important for all major political parties.

The APC enters the election cycle as the ruling party, but incumbency alone may not protect it from the consequences of unresolved internal disputes.

Political history in Nigeria has repeatedly shown that divisions within major parties can influence election outcomes, particularly when aggrieved politicians refuse to support official candidates or move to rival parties.

The developments in Benue and Kwara therefore go beyond ordinary disagreements following primary elections.

They represent an early test of whether the APC can manage competing ambitions and maintain unity as the political contest for 2027 intensifies.

For President Tinubu and the party’s national leadership, the coming weeks could prove important.

The challenge will be to resolve disagreements without creating new ones and to convince aggrieved members that their interests still have a place within the ruling party.

Whether the APC succeeds could have significant consequences for its performance in several states when Nigerians return to the polls in 2027.