APC Crisis: Rumblings Over Aborted Deal With Lawmakers

By: Abudu Olalekan

There’s serious tension bubbling inside the All Progressives Congress right now.

Now that assembly seat primaries are near, a clash shapes up. Not just any clash – this one pits APC lawmakers against governors from the Progressive camp. Power lines blur when senate figures square off with state-level leaders. One side holds federal ground, the other rules regions. Tension builds without loud speeches. Behind closed doors, moves tighten. Influence shifts depending on who backs which candidate. Loyalties stretch thin at times. Control hangs in small margins. Each group pushes its weight differently. Local picks reflect bigger battles. Outcomes may reshape alliances. Quiet maneuvering speaks louder than slogans here.

Word has it some senators, worried about coworkers under pressure from back-home governors, turned to the President for help holding on to office. After all, plenty of those same governors have started thinking hard about running for Senate seats instead.

That day, talks between top senators and President Tinubu took place. Still early in the week, the meeting unfolded without delay.

Surprise hit the lawmakers hard. What they thought was settled – a clear promise of guaranteed returns – crumbled fast. Yet, standing firm, Professor Yilwatda shut it down completely: nobody gets handed their spot again without earning it.

Here’s when things happen now. Senate and House hopefuls face off first – May 15 and 18 set for their contests. After that comes the big one: governors line up on May 21. The APC’s updated schedule makes it official.

Right now, actions speak louder than words. Over in Ogun East, Senator Gbenga Daniel finds himself isolated because Dapo Abiodun, the sitting governor, secured broad agreement on the nomination. Much like what’s unfolding in Kwara, echoes of this situation ripple through Ondo and several other regions.

Bitter tension brews in Kwara as Senator Saliu Mustapha faces off against Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. Not merely opposing Mustapha’s bid to return to the Senate, the governor eyes that very seat himself. Their clash cuts deep, rooted beyond surface politics. Ambition drives one forward, while power holds the other firm. Each move sharpened by distrust. What began behind closed doors now plays out in public view. Office becomes prize, loyalty tested at every turn.

Back in Ondo, a firm line comes from Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa – some lawmakers will find their return path blocked. Not everyone gets another chance when he speaks.

Fresh off the week’s start, talks unfolded quietly between Tinubu and a group of state leaders – Uzodimma, Abdulrazaq, Yahaya, Zulum, Alia, Oyebanji – in hopes of calming tensions ahead of party voting. Though shut away from view, their meeting carried weight, timed just before internal selections began.

Yet those tremors? Anything but finished.