By Wellington Jopelo
Fresh tension is spreading across the All Progressives Congress as the party officially begins its primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, with intense lobbying, last-minute negotiations, and internal power battles unfolding in several states.
Across the country, aspirants and political blocs are reportedly holding emergency meetings and private consultations in desperate efforts to secure party tickets before voting begins.
The situation has become more heated in states where attempts to produce consensus candidates have collapsed, forcing party leaders into difficult negotiations to prevent major divisions.
Reports from states including Kano, Kaduna, Taraba, Oyo, Yobe, and Abia indicate that protests, accusations of imposition, and disagreements over candidate selection are already threatening party unity.
Some aspirants have accused influential politicians of trying to hijack the process by secretly deciding winners before delegates vote.
Others claim pressure is being mounted on party executives and local leaders to support preferred candidates or risk political consequences.
In Abia State, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, publicly declared that the APC would not impose candidates on members, insisting that aspirants must emerge through democratic processes.
Former Abia governor Orji Uzor Kalu also revealed that President Bola Tinubu had urged party leaders in the state to remain united ahead of the elections.
Despite those assurances, tension remains high in many states where direct primaries may now replace failed consensus arrangements.
The growing crisis has also exposed deeper power struggles within the ruling party as governors, lawmakers, ministers, and influential political figures battle to maintain control of party structures before 2027.
Meanwhile, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda has warned aspirants against actions capable of disrupting the primaries, threatening suspension for anyone involved in violence, anti-party activities, or attempts to undermine the process.
He insisted the party remains committed to peaceful and transparent primaries despite the growing tension across different chapters.
Political observers believe the current battle inside the APC may become one of the toughest internal contests the ruling party has faced in recent years, especially with multiple powerful interests competing for control ahead of the next general election.
As consultations and negotiations continue behind closed doors, many party members are now waiting to see whether the primaries will strengthen the APC or deepen the cracks already appearing within the party.