The relationship between President Bola Tinubu and some governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly becoming increasingly strained ahead of the 2027 general elections, amid concerns that some northern governors are not fully committed to the President’s re-election bid.
According to a report by The Guardian, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has taken steps to reduce the risk of internal sabotage by directing candidates to submit the names of their proposed polling agents directly to the national secretariat, bypassing state governors and party structures that traditionally handle the process.
The development reportedly followed concerns that some governors were reluctant to openly mobilise support for Tinubu’s second term. During his recent return from an overseas trip, the President was said to have expressed dissatisfaction with the efforts of some state governors to publicise his administration’s achievements.
Vice President Kashim Shettima had previously drawn attention to the limited support some northern governors were giving the President’s re-election ambition. Although his media office later clarified that his remarks referred to the period preceding the 2022 APC presidential primary, a northern governor reportedly told The Guardian that the underlying divisions remained relevant to the party’s current situation.
The governor, who is seeking re-election, said unresolved disagreements within the APC were affecting preparations for the 2027 polls. He also observed that some campaign billboards in major northern towns displayed Tinubu and Shettima, while similar displays were reportedly absent in some rural areas.
Several issues are said to be contributing to the tension. These include concerns over the treatment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, the President’s directive to the Finance Ministry to publish disbursement information, particularly concerning local government funds, and Tinubu’s public support for Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and his Rainbow Coalition.
There are also reported disagreements within the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma. According to the report, some governors want Uzodimma to hand over the forum’s leadership and concentrate on his responsibilities within the APC Presidential Campaign Council and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors. However, the chairman reportedly maintains that the established practice is for the position to be handed over to a second-term governor after the general elections.
Beyond the disagreements over political leadership, the APC national leadership is reportedly concerned about allegations that some governors may be supporting opposition candidates while retaining their positions within the ruling party.
Sources within the party hierarchy told The Guardian that the decision to bypass state chapters was intended to prevent governors suspected of working against APC candidates from influencing the selection of polling agents. The reported arrangement is focused on states where the national leadership suspects that some governors could be backing candidates contesting under other political parties.
The allegations gained further attention following claims by the Oodua Progressive Youths League, a South-West group, that some governors whose preferred aspirants lost the APC National Assembly primaries had allegedly encouraged them to obtain tickets from opposition parties and contest against the ruling party’s candidates.
The group’s General Secretary, Wale Abdulwaheed, also alleged that some governors had reached agreements with opposition parties concerning polling agents and intended to submit the names of their loyalists, who remain APC members, as the ruling party’s officially recognised agents.
A serving National Assembly member from Ondo State, who is also an APC candidate for the 2027 elections, reportedly confirmed that candidates had been directed to submit their agents’ names directly to the national secretariat.
However, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa denied directing any aspirant or candidate to contest against APC candidates under another political party. He described those accusing him of anti-party activities as “naysayers, blackmailers, and slanderers” and insisted that he had never engaged in such activities.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the reported disagreements highlight the challenges facing the APC as it seeks to maintain unity within its ranks and secure support for Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
The allegations against individual governors remain contested, and the reported concerns should not be taken as proof that those accused have engaged in anti-party activities.
