In Kwara State, Ismail Kayode, the serving house member representing Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa Federal Constituency could not secure a return ticket. He was defeated by former Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, in the primary.
No fewer than fifteen serving members of the House of Representatives have lost their bids to represent their constituencies again under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.
They failed to secure return tickets during the party’s primaries held across the country on Saturday ahead of the 2027 general elections.
One of the biggest losers is the House Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere. The prominent lawmaker was unable to secure a ticket for a term in the lower chamber.
He lost the primary election for the Owan Federal Constituency in Edo State candidature to former Commissioner for Mining, Andrew Ijegbai, amid reports of a zoning arrangement between Owan East and Owan West.
In Edo State, another serving lawmaker, Eseosa Iyawe, lost his bid to return to the green chamber having been elected on the platform of the Labour Party before defecting to the APC a couple of years ago. He lost the APC ticket for Oredo Federal Constituency to former Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu.
In Imo State, the ambition of four incumbent House members to return to the green chamber did not materialise. They were all denied a return ticket.
The members are Matthew Nwogu representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala, Miriam Onuoha of Okigwe South, Harrison Nwadike representing Isu/Njaba/Nkwerre/Nwangele, and Emeka Martins Chinedu of Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency.
In Kwara State, Ismail Kayode, the serving house member representing Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa Federal Constituency could not secure a return ticket. He was defeated by former Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, in the primary.
In Kebbi State, former Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Jafar Ahmed Jega, emerged as the APC candidate for Jega/Gwandu/Aleiro Federal Constituency through a consensus arrangement that saw incumbent lawmaker Mansur Musa Jega lose the party’s ticket.
Similarly, four serving lawmakers in Jigawa State lost their return tickets during the primaries.
They are Muktar Muhammad representing Kazaure/Roni/Gwiwa/Yankwashi Federal Constituency, Ibrahim Usman Auyo of Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency, Sa’adu Wada Taura representing Ringim/Taura Federal Constituency, and Yusif Sa’idu Miga of Jahun/Miga Federal Constituency.
The primaries also produced a major surprise and upset in Delta State, where longtime federal lawmaker Nicholas Mutu failed to secure the APC ticket for Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.
Mutu, who has represented the constituency in the House of Representatives since 1999, lost the party’s ticket to Rt. Hon. (BaHon. Basil Okolobaowei Ganagana, who emerged as the APC flagbearer for the constituency ahead of the 2027 polls.
Two serving members of the House of Representatives also lost their bids to secure return tickets in Nasarawa State.
The affected federal lawmakers are Jeremiah Umaru, who represents Wamba/Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon Federal Constituency, and Abdul-Mumin Muhammad of Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency.
In Wamba/Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon Federal Constituency, Tony Shammah recorded a landslide victory with 38,333 votes, defeating the incumbent, Jeremiah Umaru, who scored 4,061 votes.
Similarly, in Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency, Abdul-Mumin Muhammad lost to Mohammed Al-Bashir Yerima, who polled 31,796 votes against Muhammad’s 9,039 votes. Meanwhile, Muhammed Ahmed Al-Makura emerged unopposed in Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency after other aspirants stepped down, securing 4,500 votes through affirmation.
The primary election for Awe/Doma/Keana Federal Constituency was still ongoing as of the time of filing this report as the exercise did not hold on the scheduled date.
The state house of Assembly speaker, Danladi Jatau, also lost his bid to represent Kokona/Keffi/Karu Federal Constituency at the national assembly.
Speaker Jatau was defeated by his colleague in the state assembly, Daniel Ogazi. Ogazi polled 13,083 votes to beat Jatau, who secured 5,873 votes. Other contestants trailed behind with significantly lower votes.
