Tinubu empowers APC governors to pick 2027 candidates, lawmakers face uncertainty

President Tinubu has given 31 APC governors authority to decide aspirants' fate for the 2027 elections, allowing states to choose consensus or direct primaries per Electoral Act. This followed his closed-door meeting with governors, where he ceded executive power for primary conduct, DAILY POST reports. The shift creates anxiety among federal lawmakers, especially those not favored by their state governors, as automatic tickets from Tinubu are no longer guaranteed. Some lawmakers privately admit they regret defecting to APC expecting presidential-backed nominations, per Arise News' Sumner Sambo, who notes many relied on executive support for political security. While internal party mechanisms still let lawmakers address grievances before primaries conclude, the development concentrates candidate selection power at state level. Analyst Nduka Odo warns this threatens democracy by tying governors' futures to presidential approval and restricting voter will in candidate choice, noting the Electoral Act's anti-defection rules leave disappointed politicians with no recourse until after elections.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/30/2027-apc-lawmakers-walk-tightrope-as-tinubu-backs-govs-on-primaries/