President Bola Tinubu’s quest for re-election in 2027 is reportedly facing growing uncertainty over the level of support from some governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), amid widening disagreements within the party.
The development comes as the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has reportedly directed some of its candidates to submit the names of their proposed polling agents directly to the party’s national secretariat, bypassing state chapters in a move aimed at preventing possible electoral sabotage.
The Guardian reported that tensions between the Presidency and some APC governors had deepened, with concerns that several northern governors were not actively mobilising support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The concerns reportedly intensified after the President returned from an overseas vacation and expressed displeasure over what he perceived as the failure of state governors to adequately publicise his administration’s achievements.
Vice President Kashim Shettima had also previously suggested that fewer than five northern governors were demonstrating tacit support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
His media office, however, clarified that the remark referred to the political situation ahead of the APC presidential primary in 2022.
A governor from the North-West, who spoke to The Guardian on condition of anonymity, reportedly said Shettima’s observation reflected the current mood within the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), the umbrella body of APC governors.
The governor, who is seeking a second term, said unresolved disagreements among party leaders were affecting the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
He alleged that many northern APC governors were reluctant to openly campaign for Tinubu, noting that while some campaign billboards in major towns featured the President and Vice President, similar displays were absent in several hinterland communities.
The source also pointed to disagreements involving Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who chairs the PGF and serves as secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
According to the governor, divisions within the PGF have also affected the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), despite the President’s reported promise to intervene and resolve the disputes.
He disclosed that some governors wanted Uzodimma to relinquish his position as PGF chairman to concentrate on his responsibilities within the presidential campaign structure and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.
Uzodimma, however, reportedly maintained that the established practice was for the position to be handed over to a second-term governor after a general election.
The governor identified three major factors contributing to the apparent divisions among some northern APC leaders.
Among them, he said, was the treatment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, who had campaigned for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election but has since faced political challenges.
He also alleged that Tinubu’s directive to the Ministry of Finance to publish disbursement details was interpreted by some governors as an attempt to scrutinise state spending, particularly funds allocated to local government councils.
The President’s open support for Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and his Rainbow Coalition was cited as another factor that had further strained relations between the Presidency and some members of the PGF.
Amid the reported political tensions, the APC NWC has reportedly adopted a new approach to the selection and registration of party agents ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Under the arrangement, candidates in certain states have been instructed to submit the names of their proposed agents directly to the national secretariat in Abuja, rather than routing them through state party structures.
Sources within the party hierarchy said the measure was designed to safeguard the APC’s electoral interests amid allegations that some governors were backing opposition candidates while retaining influence over the ruling party’s state structures.
The directive is reportedly being implemented mainly in states where the NWC suspects governors of supporting candidates contesting against APC flagbearers.
The development follows allegations by the Oodua Progressive Youths League (OPYL), a South-West group, that some governors had encouraged aspirants who lost the party’s National Assembly primaries to seek tickets from opposition parties.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Wale Abdulwaheed, the group alleged that some governors had reached agreements with opposition parties and were seeking to influence the selection of polling agents.
It further claimed that loyalists who remained APC members could be nominated as agents for opposition candidates, with their names subsequently submitted to the APC national secretariat as the ruling party’s official representatives.
A member of the National Assembly from Ondo State, who is also an APC candidate for the 2027 elections, reportedly confirmed that the national leadership had directed candidates in the state to submit their agents’ names directly to Abuja.
The lawmaker, who requested anonymity, said the candidates had already received the relevant forms following instructions to the state party chairman.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has, however, denied allegations that he directed any aspirant to contest against APC candidates under another political party.
Describing his accusers as “naysayers, blackmailers, and slanderers,” Aiyedatiwa insisted that he had never engaged in anti-party activities.
“I have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. I have never engaged in anti-party activities in my life,” the governor said.
