NORTH-CENTRAL FORUM ALLEGES THAT PARTY OFFICIALS HAVE MONETIZED APC PRIMARIES
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
Ahead of the commencement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, beginning with Saturday’s House of Representatives elections, the North-Central APC Forum has raised concerns that the exercise has been commercialised by party officials.
The APC House of Representatives primaries were initially scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026, but were later postponed. In a statement released late on Thursday, May 14, 2026, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, announced that the exercise had been shifted to Saturday, May 16, 2026, without giving any reason for the change.
However, in a statement issued on Friday by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the North-Central APC Forum said the postponement was linked to alleged monetisation of the primary process.
While noting President Bola Tinubu’s call for free, fair, and peaceful primaries, the Forum condemned what it described as the commercialisation of the exercise and warned party officials against actions that could undermine the APC ahead of the general elections.
The group also expressed concern that, less than 24 hours to the rescheduled date, the list of cleared aspirants had not been released.
It further alleged that some national officials were moving across states to collect money from aspirants in exchange for party tickets.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier urged APC members to embrace unity and sportsmanship during the primaries, warning against violence or rancour that could weaken the party’s chances in the 2026 elections.
Backing the President’s position, the Forum urged the party leadership to rein in officials allegedly involved in compromising the process, warning that such actions could trigger internal crisis.
According to the statement, growing discontent is already being reported across states, with many party members allegedly feeling sidelined due to what it called “self-serving and financially driven decisions” by officials.
The Forum stated, “The North-Central APC Forum has observed with regret that the forthcoming primary elections have already been monetized by party officials, which is why the date keeps shifting.
“There is no other reason for the postponement other than the monetisation of the process. They do not want free and fair primaries because they have hidden motives.
“We are warning national officers to be careful. They should not destroy our party in pursuit of selfish interests.
“We call on relevant authorities to remain vigilant because the process has already been compromised.
“What they are doing is sending officials to states to collect money from aspirants while promising them tickets instead of conducting proper primaries.
“That is why the list of screened aspirants has not been released. It is part of their delay tactics to allocate tickets to those who have paid.”
The Forum also cited the situation in Rivers State, where several aspirants reportedly linked to Governor Sim Fubara were disqualified, alleging irregularities in the screening process.
It warned that similar issues in other states could destabilise the party ahead of the 2027 general elections if urgent corrective measures are not taken.
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