More than 78 All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives aspirants in Adamawa State have rejected the party's consensus-candidate arrangement [1].
The defiance threatens to disrupt the party's internal selection process just before the scheduled primaries. This internal rift highlights a growing tension between party leadership and candidates over the transparency of the democratic process in Nigeria.
During a press conference in Yola, the aspirants called for free and fair primaries to determine the party's nominees [2]. They said the current consensus process amounts to the imposition of candidates and undermines the integrity of transparent elections [1, 3].
While some reports indicate 60 aspirants are involved in the protest [3], other accounts place the number at over 78 [1]. The group said the move to bypass open voting prevents a truly democratic selection of representatives for the state.
These developments come ahead of the APC House of Representatives primaries, which were scheduled for the day following the announcement [2, 3]. The aspirants said the imposition of candidates creates a crisis within the state chapter of the party.
By demanding a return to open primaries, the group aims to ensure that the party's candidates are chosen by the will of the members, rather than through administrative directives. The situation in Yola reflects a broader struggle for party reform and the rejection of top-down candidate selection methods within the APC.
“The consensus process amounts to candidate imposition.”
The rejection of consensus candidates in Adamawa State signals a significant internal challenge to the APC's authority. By demanding open primaries, these aspirants are pushing for a shift away from the 'godfather' system of politics—where party elites select candidates—toward a more grassroots-driven democratic process. This friction could lead to party fragmentation or a surge of independent candidates if the party leadership refuses to hold competitive primaries.
