The All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections have begun to expose widening internal cracks within the ruling party, as allegations of violence, ballot material snatching, manipulation of results and threats of litigation trail the exercise in several constituencies across the country.
What was expected to be a routine consolidation process for the party has instead evolved into a fierce contest among entrenched political interests, returning power brokers and emerging aspirants, with many local chapters battling accusations of procedural irregularities and attempts to impose candidates.
One of the dramatic scenes emerged in Anambra State, where the conduct of the primaries in Anambra East and Idemili federal constituencies drew anger among aspirants and party faithful.
At Otuocha, the headquarters of Anambra East Local Government Area, confusion reportedly broke out during the distribution of election materials for the House of Representatives primary election.
Witnesses and party stakeholders alleged that armed political thugs stormed the venue, fired shots into the air and carted away sensitive materials, including result sheets.
One of the frontline aspirants, Hon. Patrick Udoba, described the incident as a direct assault on internal democracy and called for the immediate cancellation of the exercise. According to him, the violence disrupted voting processes and compromised the credibility of the primary.
The controversy quickly took a more dramatic turn after allegations surfaced on social media linking former governorship candidate to the disappearance of the materials.
The former candidate, Paul Chukwuma, who contested the November 2025 Anambra governorship election under the Young People’s Party (YPP) before returning to the APC, reacted angrily to the claims and threatened legal action against those associating him with the incident.
Speaking in a strongly worded reaction, Chukwuma denied any involvement whatsoever in the primary election crisis, insisting that he was not connected to any of the aspirants contesting the House of Representatives seat.
He explained that shortly after the 2025 governorship election, he suffered a personal tragedy following the death of his sister in Germany. According to him, after repatriating and burying her remains in January, he returned overseas and had remained outside the country since then.
The former governorship candidate questioned why anyone would link him to electoral misconduct, arguing that violence and electoral malpractice were never part of his political style, even during his own governorship campaign.
His response reflects the growing sensitivity within the APC over accusations of manipulation and the fear among political actors that reputational damage ahead of the 2027 elections could weaken future ambitions.
Significantly, the other aspirants in the race – Okeowele Ifeoma Chukwuma and Hilary Uduh – declined to make detailed comments, maintaining that official results had yet to be formally declared. Their silence underscored the uncertainty surrounding the process and the expectation that further disputes could emerge once final figures are announced.
A similar dispute unfolded in the Idemili Federal Constituency, where Barrister Kingsley Ezekwelu reportedly dominated results across most wards to emerge as the leading contender. However, the outcome was immediately rejected by rival aspirants, including Innocent Igboekwe and Chief Epiphany, both of whom demanded cancellation of the exercise.
The aggrieved aspirants alleged that result sheets were snatched from within the APC state secretariat in full public view around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026. Their claims further deepened concerns over the integrity of the process and raised questions about the party’s ability to conduct transparent internal elections ahead of the national polls.
The APC state chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, appeared cautious in his reaction, stating that more than half of the results had yet to be received and that it was premature to make definitive comments.
His response suggested that the party leadership may be attempting to contain tensions while assessing the scale of the disputes.
Beyond Anambra, the unfolding controversies mirror a national trend within the APC, where House of Representatives primaries are increasingly becoming battlegrounds for competing factions ahead of the 2027 elections.
In many states, the contests are not merely about legislative seats but about control of party structures, regional influence and access to federal power. The stakes have become even higher because House of Representatives tickets are now seen as strategic pathways to national relevance, especially in areas where governorship contests remain tightly controlled by political godfathers.
Political watchers say the disputes also reflect the growing tension between old political establishments and younger aspirants attempting to leverage grassroots popularity against entrenched party networks.
The recurring allegations of result manipulation, intimidation and hijacking of materials expose longstanding weaknesses in party administration and internal conflict management. They also reinforce concerns that unresolved disputes from the primaries could trigger defections, anti-party activities and prolonged litigation capable of weakening the APC’s electoral cohesion ahead of 2027.
For the opposition parties, the internal wrangling within the APC offers an opportunity to exploit divisions and mobilise dissatisfied members. For the ruling party itself, however, the immediate challenge lies in managing grievances without alienating powerful stakeholders whose support will be critical during the general election.
As the primaries continue across the federation, the credibility of the APC’s internal democratic processes is likely to remain under intense scrutiny. Whether the party leadership can successfully reconcile aggrieved aspirants and prevent the disputes from escalating into a wider political crisis may ultimately shape its strength heading into the 2027 polls.
