A massive political earthquake has rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) as more than 70 serving senators and House of Representatives members have been swept out of the party’s return ticket race following the conclusion of National Assembly primaries held across Nigeria.
The development has been described by political observers as the most brutal internal party purge in recent Nigerian political memory, with at least 50 members of the House of Representatives and several senators losing their bids in what sent shockwaves across the Green and Red Chambers.
Currently, the APC controls 242 House of Representatives seats and 88 Senate seats, with most incumbents having sought re-election. No fewer than 58 representatives and 12 senators will not return to the National Assembly, as they failed to secure the party’s ticket for the 2027 elections.
In Ogun State alone, five of nine serving lawmakers failed to secure return tickets, including Deputy Chief Whip Ibrahim Isiaka of Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency and three other prominent representatives.
House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas of Kano and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu of Abia were among those who successfully secured their return tickets, providing some relief for the leadership of the Green Chamber.
The affected lawmakers face a dire situation — they cannot decamp to another party to contest due to the provisions of the newly signed Electoral Act, which has closed the window for party-switching after the May 10 membership submission deadline.
The primaries were further marred by violence, allegations of irregularities, and committee splits — most notably in Ondo State, where a seven-member election committee failed to announce results amid intense pressure, and in Lagos, where gunfire and voter intimidation were reported in the Epe Federal Constituency primaries.
Political analysts warn that the unprecedented scale of incumbents losing return tickets could trigger a fresh wave of political defections and legal battles across the country.
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