The All Progressives Congress faces a mounting challenge. Four days remain before INEC opens its portal for candidate submissions.
Political parties must upload their candidates by June 26 for Nigeria's 2027 general elections. APC completed its primaries on May 30.
But the party hasn't released its final candidate list. Most winners haven't received Certificates of Return yet.
Only the presidential candidate received this certificate. Three weeks have passed since the primaries ended.
Aspirants for various positions remain in limbo. They don't know if they'll fly the APC flag in 2027.
State assembly, National Assembly, and governorship hopefuls are particularly anxious. States with contested primaries saw the fiercest competition.
Nearly every state submitted petitions to party leadership. Kano was an exception—most positions there were settled by consensus.
Sources at APC headquarters blame unresolved complaints for the holdup. Appeal committees have handled most legitimate grievances, they claim.
Lagos, Kwara, and Kogi still have cases under review. A party insider said some outstanding issues remain unresolved.
Party officials insist there's no rule requiring them to release the list before INEC submission. Aspirants will confirm their status once names go online, they argued.
Another source said the candidate roster is nearly complete. It'll go to INEC once the submission window opens.
According to this source, petition claims are overstated. Only a handful of problems need settling, he insisted.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka didn't respond to requests for comment. Phone calls and messages went unanswered.
Party insiders say the National Working Committee holds final authority. They'll decide who represents APC in 2027.
This power has created uncertainty across the party structure. Hopefuls can't plan campaigns without knowing their status.
Investigations across multiple states uncovered widespread petition filings. Party appeal committees have received complaints from aggrieved aspirants nationwide.
Some state leaders stepped in to prevent disputes from worsening. Their intervention helped manage tensions in certain areas.
Zamfara State faces particular complications. Seven court cases challenge outcomes from the APC primaries there.
Some litigants bypassed internal party processes to go straight to court. They didn't exhaust APC's appeal mechanisms first.
The cases involve major positions and prominent figures. Governor Dauda Lawal's emergence as gubernatorial candidate faces legal challenge.
Senator Ikira Aliyu Bilbis also contends with litigation over his nomination. His selection as Zamfara Central senatorial candidate is disputed.
Senator Sahabi Ya'u Kaura Namoda's Zamfara North slot is similarly contested. Legal battles could delay final determinations statewide.
