2027: Fresh storm rocks APC over NASS list

For Amos in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State, the 2027 general election can't come soon enough. He's had enough of the poor representation that has plagued his constituency for years. Amos is not alone; his community has been demanding a fresh face in the National Assembly, one who can bring about meaningful development and give them a stronger voice. But the All Progressives Congress (APC) has other plans. The party's revised list of National Assembly candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has left many aspirants fuming, and Amos is one of them.

Ayo Arise, a former senator representing Ekiti North, is one of the many aspirants who have taken the party to court over the revised list. Arise claims he lawfully won the APC's senatorial primary in his district but was mysteriously omitted from the party's list of candidates. According to him, the decision to institute legal action was informed by his understanding of the timelines stipulated by the Electoral Act. Arise's move has sparked a fresh storm within the APC ranks, with stakeholders demanding fresh representation and a chieftain warning of simmering anger ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Arise insists that his decision to go to court was not driven by personal ambition but by the need to ensure that political parties comply with their own rules and uphold democratic principles. This is a crucial point, as many aspirants were misled into waiting for declarations by the party's national leadership, despite provisions in the APC guidelines indicating how the primary process should be concluded. Arise's confidence in the judiciary is palpable, and he believes he will get his ticket back because he won massively.

In Ondo State, stakeholders in Okeigbo, Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area, have also demanded a new representative for the Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives ahead of 2027. Fayemisi Tosin, a chieftain of the APC, has expressed growing dissatisfaction among residents, who now believe the incumbent lawmaker is incapable of attracting federal projects and giving the constituency a stronger voice in the National Assembly.

The APC's response to the controversy has been characteristically dismissive, labeling it an internal process that is being addressed internally. But many are not convinced. The party's refusal to listen to the concerns of its members and stakeholders has created a sense of disillusionment and mistrust. As the 2027 general election draws near, the APC would do well to take heed of these warnings and address the issues at stake.

I predict that this controversy will not be the last storm to rock the APC ahead of the 2027 general election. The party's internal wrangling and refusal to listen to its members will continue to create tension and dissatisfaction. Unless the APC takes concrete steps to address these issues, I foresee a long and tumultuous road ahead for the party.

In the end, the APC's failure to address the concerns of its members and stakeholders will only serve to exacerbate the problems it faces. As the 2027 general election draws near, the party would do well to take heed of the growing dissatisfaction and disillusionment among its members. The storm brewing within its ranks will not subside anytime soon, and it is only a matter of time before it erupts into a full-blown crisis.