The senatorial primaries conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) have reshaped the party’s political map ahead of the 2027 elections, with governors, former governors, and ranking lawmakers emerging as dominant figures in the contests held across several states.
The exercise further highlighted the growing influence of established political blocs within the ruling party as many incumbents secured return tickets while others lost out during highly competitive races.
Among the biggest winners were seven serving governors who obtained senatorial tickets ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Those governors include Abdullahi Sule, Inuwa Yahaya, Hope Uzodimma, Dapo Abiodun, Umaru Fintiri, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Mai Mala Buni.
Former governors also featured strongly in the outcome of the primaries, including Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau.
Several serving senators equally retained their positions within the party, while a number of lawmakers lost their re-election bids in states where the contests produced upset victories.
Some aspirants stepped down voluntarily, while others withdrew for political allies or shifted attention to governorship ambitions in their states.
The primaries also reflected ongoing political realignments within the APC following recent defections from opposition parties.
In a number of states, candidates who recently crossed over from the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and other platforms either secured tickets or suffered defeats during the exercise.
Female participation in the APC senatorial race remained limited, with only a few women emerging as candidates in the primaries concluded so far.
The contests also produced unresolved outcomes in some districts where internal disagreements, postponements, and appeals delayed the completion of the process.
FULL LIST OF APC SENATORIAL CANDIDATES SO FAR
ABIA
Orji Uzor Kalu — Abia North
Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jr — Abia South
Emeka Atuma — Abia Central
ADAMAWA
Umaru Fintiri — Adamawa North
Felix Tangwami — Adamawa South
AKWA IBOM
Godswill Akpabio — Akwa Ibom North-West
Aniekan Bassey — Akwa Ibom North-East
Ekong Sampson — Akwa Ibom South
ANAMBRA
Nelson Onubuogu — Anambra North
Kene Chiedu Ngozi Benedicta — Anambra Central
Chibuogu Oraelusi — Anambra South
BAUCHI
Yakubu Abdullahi — Bauchi South
Ibrahim Baba — Bauchi North
BAYELSA
Fidelis Agbiki — Bayelsa West
Friday Kombowei Benson — Bayelsa Central
Israel Sunny-Goli — Bayelsa East
BENUE
Dave Padopads-Awunah — Benue North-West
Gabriel Suswam — Benue North-East
Francis Agbo — Benue South
BORNO
Kaka Shehu — Borno Central
Ali Ndume — Borno South
Tahir Monguno — Borno North
CROSS RIVER
Jarigbe Jarigbe — Cross River North
Oden Ewa — Cross River Central
Asuquo Ekpenyong — Cross River South
DELTA
Ede Dafinone — Delta Central
Ifeanyi Okowa — Delta North
Joel-Onowakpo Thomas — Delta South
EDO
Adams Oshiomhole — Edo North
Joseph Ikpea — Edo Central
Ogbeide-Ihama Omoregie — Edo South
EKITI
Opeyemi Bamidele — Ekiti Central
Cyril Fasuyi — Ekiti North
Yemi Adaramodu — Ekiti South
FCT
Philip Aduda — Federal Capital Territory
GOMBE
Inuwa Yahaya — Gombe North
Mohammed Ahmed — Gombe Central
Jerry Damara — Gombe South
IMO
Alex Mbata — Imo East
Hope Uzodimma — Imo West
Patrick Ndubueze — Imo North
KADUNA
Ramalan Yero — Kaduna North
Shehu Sani — Kaduna Central
Sunday Katung — Kaduna South
KANO
Jibrin Barau — Kano North
Ibrahim Shekarau — Kano Central
Abdulrahman Kawu — Kano South
KWARA
Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq — Kwara Central
Sadiq Umar — Kwara North
Olalekan Adewoye — Kwara South
LAGOS
Wasiu Eshinlokun — Lagos Central
Idiat Adebule — Lagos West
Tokunbo Abiru — Lagos East
OGUN
Dapo Abiodun — Ogun East
Jimoh Ojugbele — Ogun West
Shuaib Salisu — Ogun Central
PLATEAU
David Barji — Plateau Central
Simon Lalong — Plateau South
Simon Mwadkwon — Plateau North
RIVERS
Felix Obuah — Rivers West
Allwell Onyesoh — Rivers East
Barry Mwara — Rivers South-East
SOKOTO
Aliyu Wamakko — Sokoto Central
Umaru Ajiya — Sokoto East
Ibrahim Danbaba — Sokoto South
YOBE
Mai Mala Buni — Yobe East
Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan — Yobe North
Ibrahim Bomai — Yobe South
ZAMFARA
Abdulaziz Yari — Zamfara West
Ikra Bilbis — Zamfara Central
Sahabi Ya’u — Zamfara North
Several districts across the country are still awaiting the conclusion of APC senatorial primaries following disputes and unresolved party processes.
