APC Senatorial Primaries: List of Powerful Senators Who Lost Return Ticket
- The APC primary election for its senatorial tickets in the 2027 general elections, which was held on Monday, May 18, has continued to make headlines
- This was as several popular and influential sitting senators lost their bids to return to the national assembly during the primaries
- Many of the prominent senators who lost in the primary rejected the outcome of the poll, citing anomalies during the exercise
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) held its primary election for senatorial tickets in the 2027 general elections on Monday, May 18. The primary was widely monitored across the country, as the ruling party opted for a direct primary across all the senatorial districts.
While the elections were widely contested among the party's bigwigs, some highly powerful senators lost their bids to return to the Senate during the primary. However, many of these senators are rejecting the outcome, and it is currently unclear if the party will still look into their grievances or if they might still be returned as candidates.
Source: Twitter
At the same time, some of the aspirants withdrew from the race, while others contested unopposed. Some were disqualified by the party, while others were defeated at the polls.
Powerful senators who lost APC primaries
Below is the list of sitting senators who were defeated in the primary:
1. Ned Nwoko
The Delta North senator could not secure his return ticket to the Senate through the APC primary, losing to the immediate past governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Nwoko, a first-time senator, had won the seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but could not defeat Okowa, who recently joined the APC along with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, following the leadership crisis that rocked the PDP.
In the Senate, the business mogul was popular for his advocacy for the creation of a new Anioma state, a development that was reported to have reached its peak, but it appeared many of its bigwigs in the senatorial district did not want the region to be categorised as part of the South East.
Source: UGC
2. Neda Imasuen
Imasuen is the senator representing Edo South. He was elected on the platform of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections and defected to the ruling APC soon after he was sworn in as a member of the 10th Senate.
At the APC primary, the senator lost to Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, a former member of the House of Representatives. He has rejected the outcome of the poll in a trending video, alleging that the party chairman stated they were told to adopt a consensus candidate, making it unnecessary for him to appear for the primary.
Watch Imaseum's trending video on X below:
3. Senator Jibrin Isah
The Kogi East senator, popularly known as Echocho, lost his bid to return to the Senate for the third time in the APC primary, falling to Dr Erico Ameh. He has rejected the outcome of the poll and accused the ruling party of being biased.
In a trending video, the senator alleged that the election was not held in many wards, including his own, because electoral materials were not deployed. He also claimed that the result of the direct primary was prepared at the Government House.
Watch the video of his outburst on X below:
4. Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje
The senator representing Gombe Central for four consecutive terms failed to secure his move to return to the Senate for the fifth time, losing to retired DCP Mohammed Ahmed, who was backed by Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
According to The Punch, Goje, a former governor of the state, has rejected the outcome of the primary, describing the result as fake, while calling for calm among his supporters.
Uzodimma wins APC senatorial ticket
Legit.ng earlier reported that Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma, secured the APC Imo West senatorial district ticket to contest in the 2027 elections.
Uzodimma's senatorial bid had been controversial as his tenure as the governor would run till January 2028, seven months after the 11th Senate would have been inaugurated.
Barrister Misbau Lateef criticised the governor, noting that his constituency would be denied appropriate representation if he did not resign to join the Senate.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
