*Party holds presidential primary today
*Farah Dagogo emerges Rivers ADC governorship candidate
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Boniface Okoro in Umuahia, Daji Sani in Yola, Hameed Shittu in Ilorin, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia
More governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged yesterday following the determination of contests to determine standard bearers for the party in the 2027 elections.
Results so far from Abia, Adamawa, Kwara and Nasarawa States showed that the primaries were conclusive in those states.
In Abia, business mogul Eric Opah clinched the ticket while Aminu Tijani Galadima emerged victorious in Adamawa. Also, former Speaker of the State Assembly, Danladi Salihu, won that of Kwara State, while Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada emerged as candidate in Nasarawa.
This comes as the ruling APC expressed its readiness to conduct its presidential primary election today. President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking re-election, will face Stanley Osifo, an Edo State APC chieftain. According to the party, all registered APC members will be eligible to vote for their preferred presidential aspirant in the election scheduled to be held across 8,809 wards nationwide.
In a related development, former House of Representatives member, Dr. Farah Dagogo has emerged the Rivers State Governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Meanwhile, for the governorship ticket, in Abia, Opah clinched the governorship ticket after defeating a former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh, in the direct primary conducted across the 184 electoral wards in the state.
Announcing the result early yesterday morning at the APC State Secretariat, Umuahia, the Returning Officer, Barthow Nyelong, said Opah polled 126,977 votes to beat Ikoh, who got 5,905 votes.
Nyelong said Opah met all requirements of the APC constitution and guidelines and therefore declared him the winner and the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Voluntary withdrawal by Mascot Uzor Kalu, the third governorship aspirant duly cleared to contest for the ticket, made the primary a straight contest between Opah and Ikoh.
Abia APC heartily congratulated Opah on his “successful emergence” as the governorship candidate of the party following the governorship primaries held on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The congratulatory message was contained in a statement by the Abia APC Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, shortly after the results of the governorship primary were announced.
The party, which described Opah as “an internationally renowned businessman and distinguished leader,” said it was confident that the shipping magnate “possesses the leadership capacity, vision and experience required to lead the party to victory in the 2027 general elections and return the Government House to Umuahia under the banner of the APC.”
The emergence of Opah from Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area has set him against his kinsman and the Labour Party candidate, Governor Alex Otti, who hails from Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
The exercise in Adamawa State returned Galadima as its governorship flag bearer for the 2027 general elections following the conclusion of the party’s primary.
Chairman of the Governorship Primary Committee, Prof. Innocent Bariko, announced the result after reviewing the exercise against the party’s guidelines and constitution. He said Galadima met all requirements to be declared winner and standard bearer of the APC in the state.
According to the committee chairman, Galadima polled 401,444 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Abdulrazak Namdas, who secured 86,000 votes, while Abdulrahman Haske came third with 65,935 votes. The margin gave Galadima a decisive victory in the contest.
Bariko said the process was conducted in line with APC rules and that all aspirants were given a fair opportunity to participate. He added that the committee was satisfied that the outcome reflected the will of party members who took part in the primary.
The declaration positions Galadima as the official APC candidate heading into the 2027 governorship election in Adamawa. Party officials said the result will be forwarded to the national leadership for ratification.
Abdulrahman Haske, one of the aspirants in APC Adamawa State, raised concerns over the conduct of the exercise, while reaffirming his commitment to party unity and democratic ideals.
In an interview, Haske pointed out irregularities that, in his view, required careful review in the interest of strengthening internal party democracy ahead of the 2027 general election.
These, he said, included the absence of collation processes in some Local Government Areas, irregularities in voting in certain polling units, and limited access to collation procedures before the final declaration of results.
“It was surprising that while we were waiting for the collation of the votes to happen, what happened to our greatest surprise was the declaration of the winner. We have our data, and we will consult and state our position over the weekend,” he said.
While acknowledging that a candidate has been declared, Haske stressed that the credibility of any electoral process must rest not only on outcomes but also on transparency, fairness, and the full inclusion of all aspirants.
“The integrity of the process is as important as the outcome. Transparent and inclusive procedures remain essential to sustaining trust, confidence, and unity within our great party,” he stated.
Despite his concerns, Haske struck a tone of sportsmanship and responsibility, urging restraint among his supporters and calling for calm across the state.
He disclosed that consultations are ongoing with party leaders, stakeholders, and supporters to determine the appropriate next course of action within the framework of the party’s constitution.
“As responsible democrats, we are engaging widely to review the exercise and explore all legitimate avenues available to us. Our decisions will be guided by due process, party unity, and the best interests of Adamawa State,” he said.
However, speaking after the announcement, committee members urged party stakeholders to close ranks and work toward a united front. They stressed that internal cohesion would be crucial for the APC’s chances in the state.
In Kwara, Election Committee Chairman, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, declared the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Salihu, as the winner of the primary, which ended yesterday.
This development invalidated the announcement of Amb. Seriki Fatai Gambari, a mining magnate, whom Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had previously announced as his successor.
Three of the 15 gubernatorial aspirants, namely Prof. Olawale Sulaiman, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu and Captain Ahmed Mahmud, were physically present at the banquet hall, Government House, venue of the programme.
Barring any unforeseen political development, Danladi, who yesterday polled the highest votes of 94,990, by the declaration would fly the flag of the party in the 2027 governorship election.
Obanikoro told the gathering that 15 aspirants contested the primary, namely, Olufemi Kolawole Sani – 5,919, Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe – 3,910, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN) – 3,411, Mohammed Omar Bio – 1,122, Dr. Alabi Oluwatoyin – 1,999 and Ambassador Yahaya Fatai Seriki Gambari, who polled 41,700.
Others are Tajudeen Audu Abdulkadir – 1,462, Azeez Salako Muhideen – 1,198, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa – 22,118, Prof. Olawale Adeniyi Sulaiman – 2,434, Ahmad Ibrahim Mahmoud – 362, Yetunde Musliat Adebowale – 638, Aishat Ahman Pategi – 1,734 and Prof. Abubakar Olarewaju Sulaiman, who polled 1,722.
In his remarks, Obanikoro said: “I have the privilege to present to the public the outcome of the governorship primary that took place today, 22nd May 2026. Let me commend the men and women of our party.
“Yesterday, as we were coming, we saw a large number of our members who participated. But for logistical reasons, we decided to shift the primary to today.
“In spite of the inconveniences experienced yesterday, you still came out today to show the world the doggedness and resilience that are known with our great party. I want to make bold that there is no loser in the contest of APC.
“Therefore, I, Senator Musiliu Olatunde Obanikoro, hereby pronounce Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu as the winner of the governorship primary, having satisfied the requirements of the APC constitution and guidelines and scored the highest number of votes, as the candidate of our great party for the Kwara Governorship election, dated this day, 22nd of May, 2026. I so declare. Thank you and God bless you all.”
In Nasarawa State, Wadada beat his main challenger, a former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, in a tension-packed primary to clinch the ticket.
According to the results announced by Prof. Theodore Maiyaki SAN, who was chairman, the APC governorship primaries election Nasarawa State yesterday, Senator Wadada polled 195,285 votes to defeat Adamu, who got 39,675 votes.
Wadada, who currently represents Nasarawa West in the Nigerian Senate, came top in 12 of the 13 local government area of the state.
Wadada, Adamu and five other aspirants were cleared by the party’s screening committee for the position.
The other five included Prof. Mohammed Sanni Haruna, Liman Hassan Mohammed (SAN), Zakkah Yakubu, Tanimu Adamson, and a female, Fatima Abdullahi Adamu.
The result of the primary indicated that Tanimu Adamson got 64 votes, Dr. Fatima Adamu, 136 votes, Liman got 863 votes, while Yakubu got 396 votes, respectively.
In the meantime, a former House of Representatives member, Dr. Farah Dagogo has emerged as the Rivers State Governorship candidate of the ADC.
In the party’s direct primaries held across all the 319 wards of the 23 Local Government areas in the State, Dagogo polled 64,700 votes ahead of his nearest challenger, Dr. Sokonte Davies, who got 9050 votes.
The announcement was made by the Chairman of the ADC Rivers State Governorship Primary Electoral Committee, Dr. Agu Bryan, alongside other committee members and representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Bryan said the primaries was done in line with the party’s guidelines and having satisfied all requirements expected, Dagogo was declared winner.
Responding, Dagogo said the victory was for every member of the ADC and every Rivers State resident who believes in a better future for the state.
“I wish to express my profound gratitude to the leadership and members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State for the confidence reposed in me by electing me as the party’s Governorship Candidate for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
“I am deeply honoured to have emerged from among several distinguished and highly qualified aspirants who equally sought the party’s ticket.
“This victory is not mine alone; it belongs to every member of our great party and every Rivers citizen who believes in the possibility of a better future for our state. In this journey, there is no victor and no vanquished only partners united by a common vision to reposition Rivers State for progress and prosperity,” he stated.
He urged Rivers people to rise above division and embrace unity, inclusiveness, and collective responsibility “as the task before us is greater than any individual ambition; it is about building a functional, secure, and economically viable Rivers State that works for everyone.”
“This project is bigger than any individual or political interest. It is a collective mission that requires the support, ideas, and participation of all residents and stakeholders across Rivers State. We are determined to build upon the legacies of past administrations from the foundational leadership of Commander Alfred Diete-Spiff, to Chief Ada George, Dr. Peter Odili, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. We will learn from their successes, improve upon their shortcomings, and chart a new course that prioritizes sustainable development and people-centred governance, ” he promised.
