Monday, January 19, 2026 - Top leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have ruled out the granting of automatic tickets to governors, including Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who joined the party recently, as well as Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who is expected to join soon.
A member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), who
spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the
issue, explained that defection from another political party to the APC does
not guarantee an automatic ticket.
Supporting this position, the APC Director of Publicity,
Bala Ibrahim, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, described the ruling
party as democratic and progressive, stressing that all members would be
allowed to fully enjoy and exercise their rights.
Reacting, the National Publicity Secretaries of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Ini Ememobong, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party
(NNPP), Oladipo Johnson, said the development was expected, adding that the
governors involved had made the wrong decisions
Among the PDP governors who have defected to the APC are Umo
Eno of Akwa Ibom State (South-South), Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State
(South-South), Peter Mbah of Enugu State (South-East), Agbu Kefas of Taraba
State (North-East), and, most recently, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State
(South-South).
The APC leadership in Kano State has also indicated that the
defection of the state governor is imminent.
Beyond the governors, several other prominent
politicians—including members of the National Assembly and State Houses of
Assembly, as well as former governors, former ministers, and other party
leaders—have also defected from the PDP to the APC.
Although the defectors have given various reasons for
joining the ruling party, some Nigerians argue that the real motive is to
secure re-election to their respective offices.
Reacting, a member of the APC National Working Committee
said the defections were driven by President Bola Tinubu’s numerous
achievements, noting that it would ultimately be up to the people to decide on
their re-election
He said, “I believe it is wrong to assume that people are
defecting solely to secure re-election. Many of those joining the All
Progressives Congress are doing so because of the achievements of President
Bola Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is delivering positive results
across various aspects of national life.
“That said, it is important to recall that the APC, sometime
last year, clearly stated its position and made it known that even the
President would not be granted an automatic ticket, despite enjoying
overwhelming support from the National Working Committee, members of the NEC,
zonal leadership, and governors who have publicly declared their support should
he choose to run again. However, this does not limit the contest solely to
President Tinubu. The party has made it clear that the process will be open to
any Nigerian who is a member of the APC and wishes to contest for the office of
President.
“This same principle applies to all governors, whether they
have been long-standing members of the party or recent entrants, including the
governors of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers states, and others. There will be no
automatic tickets for any of them. They must contest and earn their tickets
through the party’s democratic process. Their achievements in their respective
states will be a major factor, as it is the party members who will ultimately
decide who flies the APC flag.
“If party members support them and they emerge successful in
the process, they become the party’s candidates. However, the APC will not
arbitrarily hand over tickets to anyone simply because they are governors or
because they defected to the party. That is not the party’s position or
intention.
“Presently, the party continues to expand its membership,
with new members joining almost daily. As such, all members will be given equal
opportunity to aspire to any position. Ultimately, it is the party’s membership
that will determine who emerges as candidates and, together with Nigerians at
large, decide who governs at the state and national levels. As a party, we will
continue to support our governors in appropriate ways, respect all members, and
ensure that they enjoy their rights and privileges while fully participating in
every stage of this democratic journey.”
Speaking further, the Director of Publicity, in another
exclusive interview with The PUNCH, stated that automatic tickets are not being
considered for any governor or holder of elective office.
Ibrahim added that the APC leadership is committed to
ensuring a level playing field for all aspirants, irrespective of their status.
He said, “The issue of automatic tickets is not something
that is on the table now, not just for Kano but for anybody. The party has not
decided on giving anybody an automatic ticket, even in the case of the
President.
“What the party said it would do, and did, was to give him a
vote of confidence, in the event that he decides to enter the race for 2027
based on his performance. The party will support him, but it did not say it
would stop other people from indicating interest or contesting alongside him.
“So they will be given their democratic right to contest.
Now, if that position is true for the President, what about any other person
below the President? The party has not looked into the issue of giving
automatic tickets to governors and others. What the party has done, and still
stands by, is that it will give a level playing field to everyone, regardless
of status. Everyone will be given equal rights to contest.
“Where there is a need for consensus and consensus is
reached, then the party will go for that option in order to have a
friction-free election.”
Attempts to reach the APC National Publicity Secretary,
Felix Morka, for comments were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off as
of press time.
Reacting, the PDP Publicity Secretary said their regret was
only beginning, adding that many of them would end up disappointed in the APC.
Ememobong, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent,
said they abandoned the PDP for selfish reasons rather than in the interest of
their people.
He said, “We have said it before that their defection is not
in the interest of Nigerians or even the people they govern in their respective
states. The move was purely driven by selfish motives.
“We also know that the APC is not a party that truly values
its members, so this outcome was expected. We saw it coming, and this is only
the beginning of their regret. The APC will continue to treat them as
outsiders, and that is simply the reality.
“Over time, they will realise that their influence within
the party is limited and their expectations of preferential treatment will not
be met. Their constituents, too, may begin to question their decisions, seeing
the long-term consequences of abandoning the party that initially supported
them.”
The NNPP Publicity Secretary said they were not surprised,
noting that the APC tempted them with numerous promises that were unlikely to
be fulfilled.
He said, “Well, even before now, I had asked some of the
governor’s aides in Kano State as well: what is your guarantee that you will
secure a second-term ticket from the party you might be joining? We must also
remember that the governor himself has not spoken up until today.
“As is usually the case in the APC, they try to lure you in,
and once you are in, they do not provide the ground rules. By the time you
realise, it becomes difficult to exit. We are not surprised because the APC
will promise them many things, and they may not fulfil any of them.
“This situation is usually far from palatable for the
governors, and it often leaves them frustrated, with their political
expectations unmet and their ambitions constrained by party realities.”
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