As the All Progressives Congress (APC) begins its march towards 2027, a clash over access to nomination forms has exposed a deeper battle for control, with governors and aspirants locked in a contest that risks triggering a damaging internal rupture.
Some aggrieved aspirants yesterday raised the alarm that state governors in the party have hijacked the distribution of expression of interest and nomination forms meant for the states, with a view to allocating them to preferred candidates.
They called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by calling the governors to order.
The development came to the fore when a presidential aspirant, Chief Osifo Stanley, declared in Abuja that he had been unable to obtain the party’s nomination form after making repeated efforts since last weekend.
According to him, attempts to reach party officials and secure the necessary payment details proved abortive.
“I made calls between Saturday and yesterday to officials of the party. The account number required to pay for the form is yet to be made available to me as we speak,” he said.
Investigations revealed that Stanley’s experience may not be isolated. Multiple aspirants seeking tickets for governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly positions are reportedly facing similar challenges, raising concerns over transparency in the process.
Credible sources in some states disclosed that the forms, which ought to have been dispatched to the 36 states since last Saturday, have yet to be seen. They urged the party’s national headquarters and its National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, to clarify the situation.
As of yesterday, the forms had yet to reach Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and several other states, as confirmed by The Guardian. A source alleged that state governors should be held responsible for the delay.
The development reinforces earlier claims that, across several states, the scramble for nomination forms has exposed deep-seated tensions within the party, with many aspirants reportedly unable to access the forms without the backing of their governors. Insiders warn that the situation is breeding resentment and fuelling fears that the party’s internal democratic processes are being eroded.