Automatic ticket: Tinubu leaves lawmakers’ fate in govs’ hands

Automatic ticket: Tinubu leaves lawmakers’ fate in govs’ hands

Automatic Ticket: Tinubu Leaves Lawmakers’ Fate in Governors’ Hands

President Bola Tinubu has rejected lobbying efforts by Senate leaders who sought automatic return tickets for sitting legislators of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Instead, Tinubu reaffirmed that state governors will hold decisive authority over candidate selection in their respective states. This decision, reached during a closed-door meeting with Senate leadership at the Presidential Villa, has heightened anxiety among federal lawmakers, particularly those whose relationships with their governors are strained.

Initially, Tinubu had hinted at supporting the return of serving legislators, raising expectations within the National Assembly. However, he clarified that governors remain the party leaders in their states and must have a say in candidate nominations.

Senate leaders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, attended the Villa meeting, which was later confirmed by Senate Majority Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele as a session on urgent national matters.

Less than 24 hours later, Tinubu convened another meeting with APC governors, where he formally empowered them to oversee the primaries process. Governors such as Babagana Zulum (Borno), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) were present. They confirmed that Tinubu had ceded executive power to them to conduct primaries either by consensus or direct vote, in line with the Electoral Act.

This move aligns with the APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda’s earlier statement that automatic tickets are not part of the party’s constitution or ethos.

The APC has since released a revised timetable for its 2027 primaries. House of Representatives primaries are set for May 15, Senate primaries for May 18, State Assembly primaries for May 20, governorship primaries for May 21, and the presidential primary for May 23, 2026.

Screening of aspirants will take place between May 6 and May 9, with appeals scheduled shortly after. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Assembly elections for February 6, 2027.

Tinubu’s stance may jeopardize the re-election prospects of several lawmakers. For instance, Senator Gbenga Daniel of Ogun East faces opposition from Governor Dapo Abiodun, who is positioning himself for the Senate seat. In Nasarawa, Senator Aliyu Wadada has secured a consensus endorsement for governorship, while in Oyo, Senator Sharafadeen Alli has APC backing to succeed Governor Makinde.

These developments suggest a potential high turnover in the Senate, as governors assert control over candidate selection.

The decision has sparked debate within the party. Some lawmakers argue that the APC risks constitutional challenges since neither its constitution nor the Electoral Act provides for automatic tickets. Instead, performance and consensus will determine re-election chances.

In Benue, tensions between Governor Hyacinth Alia and SGF George Akume have already split the state’s federal lawmakers, while defections, such as that of Philip Agbese to the Labour Party, highlight the growing uncertainty among legislators.

Tinubu’s refusal to grant automatic tickets underscores his commitment to party constitutionalism and the primacy of governors in candidate selection. 

While this strengthens internal party democracy, it also destabilizes many lawmakers’ political futures, setting the stage for intense intra-party battles ahead of the 2027 elections.