Tension is mounting within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the party prepares for its National Convention, with over 600 aspirants reportedly alleging exclusion from the nomination process.
The conversation is slated to take place from March 25 to March 28, 2026.
The controversy follows claims that several aspirants who paid for nomination forms were not given access to them, sparking concerns about transparency and fairness.
Aspirants Raise Alarm
Some aggrieved aspirants have alleged that despite making full payments running into millions of naira, they were unable to obtain nomination forms required to contest.
One of the aspirants, Dagogo Fubara, who appeared on Arise TV Prime time programme on Tuesday night claimed he paid more than ₦5 million but was denied the form.
He further alleged that the issue is widespread, potentially affecting hundreds of other aspirants.
Another complainant also claimed that after payment, he was informed that the position he sought had already been “decided,” raising questions about whether the process is truly open.
APC Responds
The APC has denied any wrongdoing, stating that the process is being conducted in line with approved zoning arrangements.
According to party officials, certain positions have been reserved for specific regions, and only eligible aspirants from those zones can access nomination forms.
However, critics argue that this explanation does not justify accepting payments from ineligible aspirants in the first place.
Key Issues Driving the Crisis
The unfolding situation highlights several concerns including:
1) Poor communication of zoning arrangements
2) Allegations of pre-determined candidates
3)Questions over refunds and accountability
4)Growing internal dissatisfaction within the party
What This Means for APC
While internal disputes are common ahead of party conventions, the scale of these allegations suggests deeper cracks within the APC.
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