Why APC Hasn’t Released 2027 Candidate List Yet – Yilwatda Speaks Out

According to Ireporter Online, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has confirmed that the party has not yet released the official list of candidates who emerged from its primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yilwatda explained that the delay in finalising and publishing the list is due to ongoing reviews of petitions and appeal reports by the party’s legal department and the National Working Committee (NWC). He stated that no candidate list will be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) until all outstanding issues are fully resolved.

His clarification came on Thursday amid tensions at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, where a group of aggrieved stakeholders from Niger South Senatorial District protested the outcome of the party’s primary election. The protesters called for the cancellation of the exercise, alleging widespread irregularities and insisting that the process that produced a candidate did not reflect the will of party members.

Speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, Deputy National Secretary of the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs), Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, claimed that no credible primary election took place. He alleged that results were declared before voting materials arrived at designated polling centres and further questioned the announcement procedure, stating that results were declared at the Government House in Minna rather than the APC zonal office in Bida, where such processes traditionally occur.

The protesters maintained that the alleged irregularities undermined the credibility of the exercise, with one participant insisting that the process could not be regarded as democratic. They also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure fairness and justice in resolving the internal party dispute.

In response, Yilwatda emphasized that the APC, in line with the Electoral Act and its internal guidelines, provides clear procedures for addressing disputes arising from primary elections. He noted that only aspirants who participated in the contested primaries are legally empowered to file formal complaints through the party’s Appeal Committee.

He further disclosed that reports from various appeal committees are currently under review by the party’s legal department, stressing that all petitions submitted within the stipulated period would be thoroughly examined. According to him, the APC leadership will only arrive at a final decision after the completion of the review process.

Yilwatda urged aggrieved aspirants to follow due process in presenting their grievances, assuring that legitimate complaints involving breaches of party rules would be duly considered. He added that once the legal review is concluded, the findings will be forwarded to the National Working Committee for final deliberation before the party submits its official list to INEC.

His remarks come amid growing concern within the party over the delay in releasing the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.