The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dropped five senatorial candidates from the final list of the party’s candidates forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 elections.
The replaced candidates, including ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue, were declared winners of the primaries which held in May.
Additionally, 19 House of Representatives candidates who emerged victorious in the party’s primary elections were also dropped.
According to the document released by the party, candidates across nine states were affected by the changes.
The states are Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna, and Ebonyi.
In the correspondence sent to the electoral umpire, signed by both the National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, the party’s national leadership attributed the changes to the report of the Primary Election Appeal Committee.
The affected candidates and their replacements are:
SENATE
Kogi West: Senator Sunday Karimi replaced Aro Samuel Bamidele.
Abia South: Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu.
Benue North East: Emmanuel Memga Udende replaced Gabriel Suswam.
Benue North West: Titus Tartenger Zam replaced Benjamin T. Aber.
Taraba North: Shuaibu Isa Lau replaced Mohammed Kabir Bello.
Ondo Central: Adeniyi Adegbonmire replaced Taiwo Fasoranti.
Ondo North: Olajide Ipinsagba replaced Gbenga Elegbeleye.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Benue:
Makurdi/Guma: Dickson Tarkighir replaced Ikper Chris Terfa.
Vandeikya/Konshisha: Sesoo Ikpagher replaced Livinus Tsar Adzor.
Kwande/Ushongo: Terser Ugbor replaced Kohol Shedrach Iornem.
Buruku: Sekav Dzua Iyortyom replaced Gideon Inyom.
Gwer East/Gwer West: Austin Asema Achado replaced Nongo David.
Taraba & Niger:
Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna (Taraba): Peter Abel Diah replaced Sanusi Mohammed Galadima.
Suleja/Tafa/Gurara (Niger): Abubakar Lado Abdullahi substituted Adamu Tanko.
Lavun/Edati/Mokwa (Niger): Adamu Suleiman replaced Adamu Usman.
Kwara:
Ekiti/Irepodun/Oke-Ero: Raheem Tunji Olawuyi replaced Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi.
Edu/Patigi/Moro: Mohammed Mamman substituted Bello Tauheed Abubakar.
Ondo:
Ilaje/Ese-Odo: Donald Ojogo replaced Akingboye Leke.
Idanre: Festus Olarewaju replaced Rasaq Obe.
Owo/Ose: Oluwatimehin Akintomide replaced Kayode Ijalana.
Okitipupa/Irele: Okunjinmi John Odimayo replaced Olumuyiwa Daramola.
Ondo West/Ondo East: Michel Olamidotun Akintomide substituted Abiola Makinde.
Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo: Festus Ayodele Adefiranye replaced Oyerinmade Matthew.
Kaduna, Abia, Ebonyi:
Kaduna North (Kaduna): Abdulazeez Kaka replaced Samaila Abdu Suleiman.
Ukwa East/Ukwa West (Abia): Samuel Okezie replaced Chris Nkwonta.
Afikpo North/Edda (Ebonyi): Ekumankama Joseph Nkama replaced Iduma Igariwey Enwo.
