Tinubu Summons APC Chairman Amid Mounting Primaries Crisis, Allegations of Imposition and Growing Party Discontent
Fresh concerns over the integrity of the ongoing All Progressives Congress primaries intensified on Wednesday after the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, held a high-level meeting with Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos as controversies continue to trail the party’s candidate selection process nationwide.
Although official details of the meeting were not immediately disclosed, party insiders and political observers believe the growing wave of complaints, protests, allegations of forced consensus arrangements and reports of botched primaries across several states may have triggered urgent intervention from the Presidency.
The APC primaries, expected to reinforce the party’s democratic credentials ahead of future electoral contests, have instead generated increasing tension in parts of the country, with many party faithful accusing powerful political interests of replacing transparent contests with what critics describe as “imposition disguised as consensus.”
In several states, aspirants and supporters have openly alleged intimidation, coercion and manipulation of internal processes, while videos and reports circulating online showed large numbers of party members waiting for hours under intense sun expecting accreditation or voting exercises that allegedly never materialised.
Some of the most disturbing allegations emerging from sections of the party involve claims that designated electoral officials from the APC national headquarters were intercepted, isolated or prevented from independently conducting parts of the primaries process in certain states. While many of these claims remain politically contested and unverified officially, the growing volume of complaints has deepened anxiety within sections of the ruling party.
Political analysts warn that unresolved internal grievances could create long-term fractures inside the APC if not urgently addressed through credible reconciliation efforts and transparent conflict management.
Only yesterday, President Tinubu publicly emphasised the need for reconciliation and internal cohesion within the party, while reportedly expressing disappointment over developments in some states.
The President, according to party sources and public remarks referenced by supporters, reiterated his commitment to democratic principles, insisting that free, fair and credible primaries remain essential to the legitimacy and stability of the APC.
Observers say the President’s intervention reflects growing concern within the party hierarchy that prolonged accusations of imposition and exclusion could weaken grassroots morale, damage public perception and create avoidable defections or silent rebellion ahead of future elections.
Across Nigeria, direct primaries and consensus arrangements have increasingly become politically sensitive issues because many grassroots members now view open participation as the only reliable safeguard against elite control of candidate emergence.
For many APC supporters, the central concern is no longer merely who wins the tickets.
It is whether the ruling party can convincingly present itself as a democratic institution governed by transparent rules rather than one increasingly dominated by internal power blocs capable of overriding grassroots expectations.
As tensions continue to build, pressure is mounting on the APC leadership to restore confidence quickly — before internal dissatisfaction evolves into a deeper legitimacy crisis within Africa’s largest political party.
According to a source said to be familiar with the Lagos meeting, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, to urgently ensure that all disputes arising from the ongoing primaries are resolved amicably in the interest of party unity, peace and internal stability.
The source further disclosed that the President advised the party leadership to engage directly with state governors and ensure that transparent primaries are conducted in situations where aspirants reject or refuse to accept consensus arrangements.
According to the source, President Tinubu strongly reiterated his commitment to democratic norms and insisted that the APC must continue to project itself as a party governed by fairness, due process and credible internal democracy.
The source also told Headlinenews.news that the President had reportedly received disturbing reports from some states regarding the conduct of the primaries, including allegations of manipulation, exclusion and controversial consensus arrangements. Some of the reports, according to the source, included developments previously highlighted in investigations and publications by Headlinenews.news concerning what critics described as irregular and deeply troubling conduct in parts of the ongoing primaries process.
