The inability of the All Progressives Congress leadership to secure a consensus arrangement forced the postponement of the party’s governorship primaries in Kwara, Bauchi and the state assembly primaries in two constituencies in Zamfara.

Also in Nasarawa, late arrival of electoral materials forced voters back to their homes with the process expected to be completed on Friday (today).

This comes as the ruling party constituted key election management structures for its 2026 presidential primary, appointing a committee chaired by former Senate President, Pius Anyim, along with a separate appeal panel led by former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari.

In Thursday’s primaries, while incumbent governors and consensus-backed candidates coasted to victory in 25 states including Ogun, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, Delta, Enugu and Rivers, the exercises in Kwara, Bauchi and Zamfara (state assembly) were thrown into uncertainty after the APC National Working Committee postponed the contests amid rising tensions.

APC governorship candidates were also selected in Oyo, Benue, Sokoto, Gombe, Yobe, Niger, Borno, Ebonyi, Abia, Jigawa, Taraba, Zamfara, Plateau, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Lagos and Kano. Primaries were not conducted in Kogi, Edo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo, as those seven states have off‑cycle election schedules.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, announced that the governorship primaries in Kwara and Bauchi states earlier scheduled for Thursday had been shifted to Friday (today), while the State House of Assembly primaries for Maradun I and Maradun II constituencies in Zamfara were rescheduled for Sunday, May 24.

Morka said the postponement followed consultations with stakeholders and was aimed at ensuring “transparent, orderly, peaceful and credible primary election process.”

“The All Progressives Congress hereby announces the rescheduling of the governorship primary elections in Bauchi and Kwara States to Friday, May 22, 2026,” the statement read.

“Similarly, the party has approved the rescheduling of the State House of Assembly primary elections for Maradun I and Maradun II Constituencies in Zamfara State to Sunday, May 24, 2026.

“The decision was approved by the National Working Committee following consultations with relevant stakeholders and in furtherance of the party’s commitment to ensuring a transparent, orderly, peaceful and credible primary election process.”

But despite the official explanation, the postponements immediately fuelled suspicions within party ranks, particularly in Kwara and Bauchi, where supporters openly accused influential figures of attempting to manipulate the process in favour of preferred aspirants.

Kwara aspirants

In Kwara State, the postponement deepened political uncertainty as intense behind-the-scenes negotiations unfolded around Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s preferred successor, Amb Yahaya Seriki.

Barely hours after the postponement was announced, no fewer than eight governorship aspirants stepped down for Seriki following what party insiders described as strategic consultations designed to preserve party unity and ensure continuity of the AbdulRazaq administration.