Nigeria’s 2027 Primaries Trigger Nationwide Party Crises and Elite Power Struggles

Primaries as a Trigger Point for National Political Tension

RECENT party primaries across Nigeria have escalated into a nationwide wave of internal political conflict, exposing deep fractures within major parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. Across states, from the South-South to the North-West, outcomes of governorship, senatorial, and House of Representatives contests have triggered accusations of imposition, manipulation, and elite domination.

Rather than stabilising party structures, the primaries have intensified rivalries among governors, former governors, senators, and entrenched political blocs.

Delta: Rejection of Results and Defections

Delta State has emerged as one of the most volatile hotspots following disputed APC senatorial primaries. The loss of the ticket by former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege to Senator Ede Dafinone has deepened internal divisions.

With Omo-Agege rejecting the outcome, party unity in the state has come under strain, reinforcing long-standing factional tensions within the APC’s South-South structure.

Kano: Power Centralisation Allegations

In Kano, the Kwankwasiyya movement is facing internal turbulence amid allegations of candidate imposition and centralised decision-making.

Reports of preferred candidates being selected for key positions have sparked discontent among stakeholders who claim exclusion from transparent competition. The resulting friction between loyalists and emerging defectors has further complicated party cohesion ahead of 2027.

Kogi: Competing Power Blocs Emerge

Kogi State’s APC is also grappling with post-primary disputes following the senatorial ticket outcome in Kogi East.

Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho’s rejection of the result has revived rivalry between competing political camps aligned with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and former Governor Yahaya Bello, raising fears of prolonged instability within the party structure.

Ogun: Two Heavyweights in a Direct Political Contest

In Ogun State, tensions between Governor Dapo Abiodun and former Governor Gbenga Daniel have escalated into a supremacy battle over the Ogun East senatorial ticket.

While party stakeholders endorsed Abiodun as a consensus candidate, Daniel rejected the arrangement, insisting on a transparent primary. The resulting standoff has exposed a dual-power structure within the APC in the state.

Rivers: Deepening Factional Control

Rivers State remains one of the most structurally divided APC states due to the ongoing rivalry between Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Recent developments, including mass disqualification of aspirants linked to Fubara, have reinforced perceptions of consolidation around Wike’s political network, raising concerns about internal democracy and exclusion.

A Fragile Political Landscape Ahead of 2027

Across Nigeria, the primaries have not only determined candidates but also reshaped internal party hierarchies. In many states, unresolved disputes are now evolving into long-term factional battles, with potential implications for defections, coalition shifts, and electoral competitiveness in 2027.