The APC screening exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections was held in the absence of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, with the party screening 14 governors seeking re-election and other elective positions.
Also, President Bola Tinubu’s sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, was screened. The APC began the sale of its expression of interest and nomination forms on April 28, with the exercise closing at midnight on May 6.
The screening of serving governors began on May 8 and is expected to conclude on May 10 (today), while the party adopted both consensus and direct primaries in accordance with the Electoral Act 2025.
Speaking shortly after the exercise, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Eno, described the process as smooth and satisfactory.
He said, “Perfect, and I think it’s a normal procedure. I am satisfied. Again, I thank the National Working Committee, the chairman, and all members of the National Working Committee. It brings synergy between the sitting governors and the National Working Committee, and it shows growth. There’s no sitting governor who is not in sync with the National Working Committee.
“This exercise consolidates that. It makes you meet all of them, and it shows that there is a flow between us as progressives. So I’m satisfied.
“In my state or in the nation? In the nation, you’ve seen the work that the President is doing, and we are all part of it. We’re working from our various states. Of course, it builds up from the sub-national to the national.”
Eno added, “And so there is no progressive governor today whose work you cannot verify on the ground. And then at the national level, the President has given us, as governors, lots of support. Things are difficult, we must admit, but we also must admit that things are improving from where this President took over. And there is a pathway. You can see the stabilisation of the dollar.
“You can see that, apart from the Iran-American war, which is also now affecting some of the achievements, and this is not only in Nigeria anyway, you can truly say that there is progress. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I feel that Nigerians know that this President needs to come back to consolidate the work that he has started.”
The governor pledged that if re-elected, he would build on his administration’s achievements. A former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Bauchi State governorship aspirant, Yusuf Tuggar, said consensus was unlikely in the APC governorship race, citing the increasing number of aspirants contesting the ticket.
The Bauchi governorship aspirant, while speaking with journalists shortly after the screening, urged the party leadership to identify genuinely committed aspirants and guard against fraudulent practices during the primary process.
He said, “Well, to be honest, it is unlikely that there is going to be a consensus in Bauchi State. I don’t think there will be agreement among the aspirants. Initially, there were five aspirants, and then all of a sudden, yesterday (Friday), we saw a flurry of activities and a deluge of forms being procured. So, this happened a day before the screening, and it makes you wonder why or how. But people are free to exercise their freedom to contest, so they have contested.”
“However, it is important for the APC to be mindful of this and to sift through those who are seriously committed and dedicated to the party and are sincere in their intention to contest, and those who perhaps may just join the race so that they can later withdraw for one preferred candidate, thereby creating a semblance of consensus. It is also important that any fraudulent or untoward practice is not entertained by the APC
