The All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed that it replaced the names of several of its candidates with those of other aspirants it considered more suitable.

The party has already begun submitting the names of its candidates for various elective positions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Reports indicate that the APC screened about 2,500 aspirants who sought to contest various offices on the party’s platform.

The party’s Director of Publicity, Malam Bala Ibrahim, told the BBC that certificates of candidacy had already been issued to the successful candidates, and that their names had been forwarded to INEC for publication.

According to him, replacing the names of candidates is not unusual.

“There is nothing new about changing the name of a candidate. If it is discovered that something was not done properly, justice demands that it should be corrected,” he said.

He added that the party had established a reconciliation committee to engage and pacify aspirants whose names were replaced.

“We have set up a reconciliation committee that will meet with the affected aspirants to calm them and make them understand that democracy is not a system where everyone gets exactly what they want,” he said.

Bala Ibrahim expressed optimism that those dissatisfied with the party’s decision would remain committed to the APC.

“We expect that anyone who is unhappy with the outcome will continue to contribute to the party. If we succeed, there may be an opportunity in the future to recognize their contribution, perhaps in a role that could have an even greater impact than the one they originally sought,” he added.

Earlier, some members of the party expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as unfair treatment by the APC, despite being loyal members who had served the party for many years.

Some of the affected aspirants have also threatened to defect to other political parties over the replacement of their names.

Political analysts say allegations of candidate substitution often lead to a range of challenges, including increased litigation, petitions to party leadership, dissatisfaction among supporters, and possible defections to rival parties.

They added that such disputes could also affect a party’s electioneering campaign, particularly if they remain unresolved before the commencement of campaigns.

According to the analysts, political parties are generally stronger when members believe the candidate selection process was transparent and fair, even if not everyone emerges as a candidate. (Text, excluding headline: Daily Trust)

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