Last-minute high-level consultations and horse-trading continued from last night till early this morning ahead of today’s All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries.

Tough contests are anticipated in many of the 109 districts, but in some others, serving senators are expected to coast to victory.

In Edo South, Ogun East, Ogun West, Delta North, Delta Central, Gombe Central, Kano Central and Ekiti North, among others, serious contests are likely.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom Northwest), Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin (Kano North), Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), and Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) have no opposition.

The senatorial primary is the second layer of the schedule outlined by the party.

It follows the House of Representatives primary, which took place on Saturday.

In some districts, zoning is a major factor shaping the contest, while in others, party leaders held marathon meetings to persuade aspirants on the need to uphold consensus arrangements.

According to the APC guidelines on primaries, the Primary Committee should conduct elections based on direct primaries if aspirants cannot agree on a consensus.

There is anxiety among aspirants and party members over the insistence on direct primaries in some districts.

Six governors in the race

Five outgoing APC governors are seeking Senate tickets in their respective districts.

They are AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara Central), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa North), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa North), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe East), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun East). Their two terms will expire on May 29 next year.

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, whose second term will end in January 2028, has obtained the senatorial form for Imo West.

Following the withdrawal of Senator Osita Izunaso from the contest, the governor and Senator Rochas Okorocha will slug it out.

While AbdulRazaq, Fintiri, Buni and Sule have been adopted as consensus candidates, Abiodun will face Senator Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun State, during the primary.

While Abiodun has the support of critical stakeholders, Daniel remains unfazed, relying heavily on his grassroots network.

Speaking at a meeting with his supporters in Ijebu-Ode, Daniel said: “I remain the man to beat for the APC ticket in the primary. My strength lies in my deep grassroots popularity, not just in Ogun East, but across the entire state.”

Buni’s entry into the Yobe East race was seamless after the incumbent senator, Mustapha Musa (Kulas), stepped down last month.

In Nasarawa North, Sule secured a consensus nod following the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashiki on December 31 last year.

Principal officers to be picked by consensus

Principal officers who are consensus candidates include Senate President Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North-West), Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin (Kano North), Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), and Majority Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North).

Bamidele was endorsed at APC meetings held in Ado-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ijero, Aramoko and Efon-Alaaye.

Barau became the consensus candidate following the withdrawal of an aspirant, former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo.

While stepping down, Gwarzo said: “In the interest of party cohesion and legislative continuity, I have decided to withdraw from the race to pave the way for our Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, as the consensus candidate for Kano North.”

However, Deputy Majority Leader Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) and Deputy Majority Whip Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) are facing primaries in their districts.

Commenting on the scramble for the tickets, an Abuja-based political analyst, Ubani Uchena, said: “Today’s shadow elections are more than just a routine nomination process. For the incumbents, it is a strict assessment of their stewardship over the last three years. For the governors, it is a test of whether they truly control their state structures or if the grassroots is ready for a shift.”

Kano Central

Former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau was riding unopposed for the Kano Central District ticket.

An aspirant, Dr. Mohammed Musa Zango, who stepped down from the race, said the party pleaded that the former governor, who recently defected to the APC, should be given the honour. He dismissed allegations that he received N500 million to withdraw.

He said: “There were rumours and speculations in the media that aspirants were given N500 million each to withdraw from the race.”

Zango said that at a meeting attended by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and Kano APC Chairman Umar Haruna Doguwa, along with the aspirants, it was agreed that former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau be given “the opportunity to come up.”

He added: “All of us signed with the understanding that the discussion is ongoing. We have not gotten to the end of the consensus process.

“First, you have to sit with all aspirants who bought forms, submitted them and were cleared. It is then that you would have the right to participate in the consensus process, which is among the aspirants.”

Zango said the next stage of the consensus process requires convincing all aspirants with clear reasons why one of them should be given the ticket.

He said those asked to withdraw must also be informed about their fate and that of their supporters.

Zango said: “Our doors are open. If we complete the consensus process, we are ready to follow the rules and play the game by the rules.”

There is resistance to zoning in Ogun Central, where stakeholders have endorsed Senator Shuaib Salisu as the consensus candidate.

At a meeting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, other aspirants – Senators Lanre Tejuoso and Gbenga Obadara, former Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment Emmanuel Sofela, and Otunba Muraina Banjoko – insisted on a direct primary.

In Ogun West, the race to succeed Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi), who is the consensus governorship candidate for Ogun State, is heating up.

Although stakeholders had endorsed Jimoh Ojugbele, a former member of the House of Assembly Commission, as the consensus candidate, the move was rejected by other aspirants.

The aspirants are Deputy Governor Noimot Oyedele-Salako, former Works Commissioner Olayiwola Taiwo, Senator Tolu Odebiyi and Senator Gbolahan Dada.

The ambitions of the two aspirants, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, have polarised Edo South.

Ize-Iyamu, a lawyer, pastor and former Secretary to the State Government, supported the governor during his election.

But the governor had earlier promised to back Ogbeide-Ihama, who was prevailed upon to step down for former Governor Godwin Obaseki during the primary.

The situation has placed the governor in a dilemma.

Both aspirants are now in the contest.

There is no agreement on consensus in Ekiti North, where Senator Cyril Fasuyi, Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s campaign manager, and Senator Ayo Arise, who enjoys the support of former Governor Kayode Fayemi, are competing for the ticket.

Fasuyi is also supported by the Senate Leader.

Also, in Ekiti South, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Dele Faparusi and Senator Biodun Olujimi are set for the shadow poll.

Delta

In Delta North, Senator Ned Nwoko and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, former governor of Delta State, are locked in battle for the ticket.

Nwoko, a wealthy lawyer and businessman, is seeking a second term, while Okowa, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last year, is scheming to return to the seat he vacated 11 years ago.

Okowa has the backing of his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

Also in the Central District, the die is cast between former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and Senator Ede Dafinone, who is seeking a second term.

Although Dafinone was adopted as the consensus candidate by a section of the district, many stakeholders are backing the former Deputy Senate President.

Justifying his comeback bid, Omo-Agege said his impressive scorecard recommended him for re-election.

Rivers

Brother Felix Obuah (West), Senator Allwell Onyesoh, Chief Barry Nwara and Osarosaka Ebenezer were cleared to participate in the primaries.

Obuah, an ally of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, is the consensus candidate supported by the Rivers Rainbow Coalition.

However, Senator Ipalibo Banigo, former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Dr. Tammy Danagogo and a former state chairman of the party, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, were not cleared.

Gombe

Aspirants cleared for the shadow polls are Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe North), Muhammad Danjuma Goje and DCP Mohammed Ahmadu Deba (Gombe Central); and Jerry Joseph Damara and Bilyaminu Babadidi (Gombe South).

Bayelsa

Senator Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East) said he had not withdrawn from the race, urging the public to disregard the misinformation.

In a statement, he said: “We wish to state categorically that the information is false, baseless and should be disregarded by the general public, party faithful, supporters and well-wishers.”

Imo

In the Okigwe Zone, Senator Patrick Ndubueze is facing a challenge from Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Linders Anyanwu.

In Owerri Zone, Chita Nwoga, Obinna Ibe and Alex Mbata are battling for the ticket.

Ahead of the exercise, the APC leadership in Imo State assured aspirants of fairness and transparency during the process.

The state secretary, Onyekachi Ibezim, said: “There will be a level playing ground for all the aspirants who have bought APC senatorial forms. Anybody who bought a form should go out and reach out to members of the party and seek their votes. There will be a level playing ground for all those who bought forms.”

Adamawa

Fintiri became the consensus candidate after the incumbent senator, Amos Yohanna (North), and another aspirant, Hamisu Idris Medugu, stepped down.

At the primary, the governor has only one rival, philanthropist Alhaji Abdulrahman Buba Kwacham.

Adamawa South aspirants are former Deputy Governor Martins Babale, former Health Commissioner Felix Tangwami and Abubakar Mo-Allahyidi.

The senator representing Adamawa Central, Aminu Iya Abbas, is eyeing the governorship. Aspirants for the Senate include Aliyu Abbati Abdulhameed, former Secretary to the State Government Umar Buba Bindir and grassroots politician Alhaji Saidu Hayatu Galadima.

Nasarawa

Sule said yesterday that he was ready to compete with former Deputy Governor and ex-Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Silas Agara, for Nasarawa North.

In Nasarawa South, Deputy Governor Dr. Emmanuel Akabe will slug it out with the House of Representatives member representing Awe/Keana/Doma Constituency, Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba.

The former Executive Secretary of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, is the consensus candidate for Nasarawa West.

He withdrew from the governorship race following Sule’s decision to anoint Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada as successor.

The National Deputy Secretary of the APC, Prof. Abdulkarime Kana, stepped down for him.

Those disqualified in Nasarawa South include Abdullahi Tanko Zubairu, Usman Mohammed Elegu, Alhaji Dr. Yusuf Mohammed Agabi and Ari Ali Mohammed.

Those disqualified in Nasarawa West were Victor Terh Patrick, Ibrahim Bala and Prof. Abdulkarime Abubakar Kana, who withdrew from the race and could not attend the screening.

Osun

Senators Olubiyi Fadeyi (Central) and Francis Fadahunsi (East) are set for the poll as consensus candidates.

However, the Osun West contest is among Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, Prince Dotun Babayemi, Bade Falade, Dr. Peter Ogundeji, Gafar Amere, General Bashir Adewinbi, Dr. Surajudeen Salawu, Gen. Adeniran, Dr. Mojeed Oluogun and Hon. Adebayo Oladosu.

A source said the five National Assembly members who defected from the PDP were promised automatic tickets.

In fulfilment of the promise, Sanya Omirin (Ijesa South Constituency) and Wole Oke (Obokun/Ori-Ade Constituency) yesterday secured return tickets to the House of Representatives.

However, in Osun East, Prince Thomas Ogungbangbe and Ajibola Famurewa are competing for the ticket with Fadahunsi, while in Osun Central, Kunle Adegoke and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Akintunde Adegboye, are challenging Fadeyi for the ticket. (The Nation, but headline reworked)