By Lizzy Chirkpi
The just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries across the country have triggered a major political upset within the National Assembly, with several ranking lawmakers, influential committee chairmen and long-serving legislators losing their return tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among those affected were serving senators, principal officers of the National Assembly and lawmakers who have spent decades in parliament. The outcome of the primaries has been widely interpreted as a sign of growing unrest within the ruling party, as delegates and grassroots members moved against established political figures in favour of new contenders.
One of the biggest upsets came from Delta North Senatorial District where Senator Ned Nwoko lost the APC senatorial ticket to former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Nwoko, who returned to the National Assembly in 2023 after previously serving in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003, had built a strong political profile around campaigns for regional development and the proposed creation of Anioma State.
But his bid for another term ended in a crushing defeat, with Okowa reportedly polling 113,309 votes against Nwoko’s 2,612 votes.
In Plateau State, the political future of Yusuf Gagdi initially appeared uncertain after early results suggested he had lost his bid for a third term in the House of Representatives.
Gagdi, who represents Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency and currently chairs the House Committee on Navy, is one of the most visible lawmakers in the 10th National Assembly. First elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, he became prominent for his interventions on national security and governance issues.
He also headed the controversial ad hoc committee that investigated alleged job racketeering in federal agencies, a probe that generated national attention but whose report was never formally implemented amid allegations and internal disputes.
Initial APC primary results showed Dr. John Tongshinen polling 29,968 votes against Gagdi’s 5,849 votes. However, the APC later reversed the outcome and declared Gagdi winner, insisting the earlier declaration was unauthorized.
Another major casualty was the House Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, from Edo State.
Ihonvbere, who represents Owan East/Owan West Federal Constituency, is one of the highest-ranking lawmakers in the current House and has played a key role in coordinating legislative business for the ruling party. He also previously chaired the House Committee on Legislative Compliance.
Reports from the APC primary indicated that former Edo State Commissioner for Mining, Andrew Ijegbai, defeated him after polling 3,695 votes to Ihonvbere’s 1,005 votes.
Reacting to the outcome, Ihonvbere rejected reports of defeat and alleged irregularities in the process.
“I did not lose the election. They did not even come to the field. They wrote some meaningless results and abused the returning officer to make an announcement,” he said.
The lawmaker added:
“I’m a party man. So, I will go to appeal.”
Also in Edo State, Oredo Federal Constituency lawmaker, Esosa Iyawe, lost the APC ticket to Dr. Paddy Iyamu. Iyawe equally rejected the process, alleging violence and irregularities during the primary.
In Delta State, another political heavyweight, Nicholas Mutu, also lost his return bid.
Mutu, who represents Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency, is one of the longest-serving lawmakers in Nigeria’s democratic history, having remained continuously in the House of Representatives since 1999.
Over the years, he chaired several strategic committees and became a powerful figure within the National Assembly and the Niger Delta political structure.
However, the APC primary brought his nearly three-decade parliamentary career to an abrupt halt after he lost the party ticket to Basil Okolobaowei Ganagana ahead of the 2027 elections.
In Imo State, several serving lawmakers also failed to secure return tickets, further exposing deep divisions within the APC in the state. The primaries were reportedly marked by intense rivalry between competing political blocs.
The primaries also dealt a blow to the political structure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, as several lawmakers believed to be loyal to him lost their return tickets in Benue State.
Among them was Austin Achado, who lost the Gwer East/Gwer West ticket after polling 729 votes against David Nongo’s 17,429 votes.
David Ogewu also lost the Oju/Obi ticket after scoring 120 votes against Peter Ogbodo’s 12,993 votes.
Similarly, Sekav Iyortyom polled 1,396 votes and lost to Gideon Inyom, who secured 10,470 votes, while Dickson Tarkighir scored 1,746 votes against Christopher Ikper’s 37,844 votes.
In Nasarawa State, former lawmaker Ari Abdulmumin Muhammad suffered defeat after polling 9,039 votes against Mohammed Al-Bashir Babae Yarima’s 31,796 votes.
Abdulmumin served in the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2023 and had hoped to stage a return to the National Assembly.
Another casualty was Jeremia Umaru, who polled 4,061 votes while Tony Bala Shammah emerged victorious with 38,333 votes.
The primaries also recorded major upsets in Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi and Kwara states, underscoring a broader shift within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Within APC circles, many party members see the outcome as a backlash against long-serving lawmakers perceived to have lost touch with grassroots supporters. Others believe the results reflect new political alliances and internal power struggles shaping the party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
For several of the defeated lawmakers, however, the battle may not be over. While some have already indicated plans to challenge the outcomes through the party’s appeal process, others are believed to be weighing alternative political platforms ahead of 2027.
But beyond the individual defeats, the APC primaries have delivered a clear message across the National Assembly: ranking status, influence and years in office are no longer enough to guarantee political survival in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.