The Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has authorized and empower Governors to determine fates of interested aspiring lawmakers over the selection of candidates in their respective states through primaries or consensus arrangements
Penpushing reports that Tinubu formally empowered the Governors after a meeting with them at a closed-door meeting with the extended leadership of the Senate at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
The decision and empowerment is a development which has deepened anxiety among federal lawmakers, including several senators whose relationships with their governors have been strained.
Penpushing further reports that Tinubu equally rebuffed lobbying efforts by the leadership of the Senate to secure automatic return tickets for the ruling party’s sitting legislators ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The President convened meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors, shortly after earlier meeting with leadership of the Senate, and the meeting venue was moved to the Conference Room of the President’s Office.
Penpushing also reports that in attendance include Prof. Babagana Zulum(Borno State), Hope Uzodimma(Imo State), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe State), Hyacinth Alia (Benue State), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti State), Peter Mbah (Enugu State), and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara State), among others.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga confirmed the separate meetings, describing it as a consultation between Tinubu and the extended leadership of the Senate.
Penpushing reports that, Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State speaking with journalists at the villa disclosed that the President had formally empowered governors to drive the primaries process.
“We came to thank the President for his magnanimity and his support to the governors and for our party, the APC. He gave us a matching order on what to do for him, he has given and ceded his executive power to the governors to go ahead and conduct primaries based on the Electoral Act, either a consensus or direct primaries. So he has reiterated his support for our decision, and he has given us a go ahead’, Bago stated
Penpushing further reports that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State equally confirmed the development, adding that the timetable for the primaries has been released, and that there were discussions on the process in moving forward so that there will be free and fair election
‘The timetable for the primaries has been released. We’ve discussed the process moving forward so that there will be free and fair elections, no rancour, at the end of the process, so the party comes out stronger, stronger than ever, heading towards the election’, he added
also reports that it would be recalled that Tinubu had earlier suggested that he would do everything within the party’s power to ensure the return of serving legislators, a promise that raised expectations in the National Assembly.
The National Assembly sources familiar with the meeting, however, disclosed that the senators had gone to the Villa specifically to press for the President assurances, and pleaded for automatic tickets for them
“The meeting was to plead for automatic tickets for senators but President Tinubu insisted that the governor of each state has the influence over candidates. They made a case for continuity and stability and argued for automatic tickets, but the President was very clear in his response. He told them plainly that governors were the leaders of the party in their states and must have a say on who gets the ticket’, the sources added
Penpushing reports that the sources added that the official Mercedes Sedan of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, were sighted arriving at the Villa on Wednesday ay about 5pm, adding that the visit was not on the President’s official schedule for the day.
The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in a post on his verified X account on Thursday, confirmed the gathering, describing it as a session that deliberated on matters of urgent national importance following a resolution passed at a closed executive session of the Senate earlier that day, explaining that far-reaching decisions were taken at the strategic meeting.
Penpushing further reports that it would be recalled that the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said granting automatic tickets is not part of the party’s ethos.
“There is no automatic ticket in our constitution. The party cannot promise an automatic ticket. The constitution of the party does not provide for automatic tickets, and the party cannot wishfully promise automatic ticket to anyone. The Electoral Act also does not provide for automatic ticket. It says all primaries must be either by consensus or by direct primaries’, he declared
Penpushing also reports that at the media chat on April 17, 2026 held in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nentawe added that performance, not incumbency, would be the deciding factor for those seeking re-election.
The revised 2027 primary timetable of the party, announced by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko at the 186th National Working Committee meeting on Thursday, now pegs Senate primaries for May 18, 2026.
Penpushing reports that Meseko equally disclosed that the screening of aspirants, initially scheduled for May 6 to May 8, including the presidential screening set for May 9, has now been rescheduled.
“We now have a new revised timetable in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, the Electoral Act 2026, and the Independent National Electoral Commission revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections’, he stated
“We hereby present the new revised timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2027 general elections to the press.Notice had already been given to state chapters on Monday, April 20. Sales of forms will commence this Saturday, April 25, to Saturday, May 2, 2026. The last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now Monday, May 4, 2026’, Meseko added.
“Screening of aspirants- House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship, and Presidential will hold as follows: Wednesday, May 6, to Friday, May 8, 2026, for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and Governorship screening respectively. Saturday, May 9, 2026, is the screening for Presidential aspirants’.
“Publication of screening results for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship, and Presidential will hold on Monday, May 11, 2026. Screening appeals will be handled by the appeal committees from Tuesday, May 12, to Wednesday, May 13, 2026, for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship, and Presidential’.
“Primary elections of the All Progressives Congress commence as follows: Friday, May 15, 2026: House of Representatives primary elections. Monday, May 18, 2026: Senate primary elections. Wednesday, May 20, 2026: State House of Assembly primary elections. Thursday, May 21, 2026: Governorship primary elections. Saturday, May 23, 2026: Presidential primary elections’
Penpushing further reports that he announced that the post-primary appeal committees will sit on Monday, May 18, 2026 for the House of Representatives; Wednesday, May 20, 2026 for the Senate; Thursday, May 21, 2026 for the State House of Assembly; Saturday, May 23, 2026 for the governorship; and Monday, May 25, 2026 for the presidential.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary explained that the party has adopted the two modes of primary elections provided in the 2026 Electoral Act, direct primary and consensus for selecting candidates for elective positions.
Penpushing also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The election umpire stated that party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, are scheduled to hold between April 23, 2026 and May 30, 2026, adding that campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on August 19, 2026, while campaigns for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will begin on September 9, 2026.
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