NEWS
APC Moves Polling Agents’ Selection to Abuja Amid Allegations of Anti-Party Activities Ahead of 2027 Elections
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly introduced a new procedure for the submission of polling agents’ names ahead of the 2027 general elections, directing candidates in some states to submit their details directly to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja rather than through the traditional state-level process.
The reported directive is understood to be part of efforts by the party’s national leadership to strengthen its control over electoral preparations and address growing concerns about internal divisions, alleged anti-party activities and possible support for opposition candidates by aggrieved party members.
Under the new arrangement, candidates are expected to receive and complete the relevant forms before submitting the names of their polling agents through the designated national-level channel. The procedure represents a departure from the established practice in which state party chapters compile the lists and forward them to the national secretariat.
A party chieftain in Akure, Ondo State, disclosed the development, explaining that the directive was being implemented particularly in states where the national leadership reportedly suspects some governors of supporting candidates contesting against official APC flag-bearers on other political platforms.
The development comes at a politically sensitive period for the ruling party, with disagreements reportedly emerging in several quarters following the APC’s National Assembly primaries and the emergence of candidates for the 2027 elections.
The Oodua Progressive Youths League (OPYL), a South-West political group, had raised concerns over the alleged activities of some governors whose preferred aspirants lost the APC primaries.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Wale Abdulwaheed, the group alleged that some governors had encouraged their preferred aspirants to obtain tickets from opposition parties and contest against APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.
OPYL further alleged that arrangements had been made with opposition parties concerning the nomination of polling agents, claiming that some candidates contesting under other political platforms had been instructed to nominate loyalists who remained APC members as polling agents for the ruling party.
According to the group, the names of such individuals would subsequently be submitted to the APC national secretariat as the party’s official polling agents in the affected states.
If established, such an arrangement could create serious concerns for the party’s electoral preparations, particularly regarding the loyalty of polling agents and the ability of candidates to protect their electoral interests at polling units. However, the allegations remain claims made by the group and have not, in themselves, established that the alleged arrangements took place.
A serving member of the National Assembly from Ondo State, who is also an APC candidate for the 2027 elections, reportedly confirmed the directive but requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
According to the lawmaker, the party’s national leadership had instructed APC candidates in Ondo State to submit their polling agents’ details directly to Abuja, effectively bypassing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in the process.
He explained that the relevant forms had already been distributed to the candidates through the state party chairman, who was instructed not to hand them over to other individuals.
“The national body instructed the state chairman to give us our forms directly, and the chairman himself said he was under instruction not to give the forms to anyone except the candidates.
“He confirmed that Ondo State was specifically told to follow that route,” the lawmaker said.
The account suggests that the APC leadership may be seeking to establish a more direct relationship with its candidates in states where questions have been raised about political loyalty and cooperation between party officials and elected leaders.
The arrangement could also reduce the influence of state-level political structures over the selection and submission of polling agents, although the full scope of the directive and the number of states affected have not been independently established.
The Ondo lawmaker further disclosed that the APC national leadership was reportedly monitoring the activities of governors across the country and could consider introducing similar measures for the distribution of campaign funds.
Under the proposed arrangement, campaign funds could be paid directly to candidates instead of being channelled through governors suspected of supporting opposition candidates, the lawmaker said.
Such a measure, if adopted, would represent a significant adjustment to campaign coordination within the party, potentially giving candidates greater direct access to resources while limiting the role of state political authorities in the distribution process.
The allegation highlights the broader challenge confronting political parties when disagreements over primaries extend beyond the selection of candidates and begin to affect campaign mobilisation, financing and grassroots organisation. However, the reported proposal concerning campaign funds has not been established as a formally adopted nationwide policy.
The Ondo lawmaker specifically accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of encouraging some aspirants who lost the APC primaries to seek tickets from other political parties and challenge the ruling party’s candidates.
“It is not hidden that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa directed some aspirants who lost the APC primaries to seek tickets on other platforms and contest against the party’s candidates,” he alleged.
To support his allegation, the lawmaker cited the emergence of Hon. Matthew Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ondo South Senatorial District.
He claimed that some of Aiyedatiwa’s political appointees and party executive members attended Oyerinmade’s declaration, suggesting that their presence raised questions about the level of support being extended to the opposition candidate.
The lawmaker also alleged that the governor was financing Prince Idowu Mafimisebi, who is contesting the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency seat on the PDP platform.
In another instance, he pointed to the attendance of some of the governor’s appointees at a rally organised in Idanre by Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye, popularly known as Small Alhaji, who is now the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency.
The lawmaker questioned how the APC could depend on the governor to secure victory for its candidates in 2027 while allegations of this nature remained unresolved.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, however, has denied engaging in anti-party activities, dismissing those accusing him as “naysayers, blackmailers and slanderers”.
“I have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. I have never engaged in anti-party activities in my life,” the governor said.
His denial places the allegations at the centre of an emerging political dispute within the Ondo APC, with questions surrounding party loyalty, the influence of governors and the relationship between state leadership and candidates ahead of the next general elections.
The disagreement also underscores the potential difficulties the party could face in reconciling aggrieved aspirants and their supporters following the primaries, particularly where unsuccessful contenders decide to pursue elective offices under opposition platforms.
For the APC, maintaining cohesion between its national leadership, state governors, party executives and candidates could prove crucial to its ability to organise an effective campaign and avoid internal divisions that may benefit rival parties.
The reported decision to centralise polling-agent submissions also comes amid wider political discussions surrounding the Rainbow Coalition associated with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
The coalition has been described as an arrangement intended to attract support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid from politicians outside the APC, while allowing their respective parties to field candidates against APC flag-bearers in other contests.
The reported arrangement has generated concerns among some APC stakeholders, particularly over the implications of cross-party alliances for the ruling party’s electoral prospects in governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives elections.
Critics have reportedly questioned whether such political cooperation could create conflicting loyalties among supporters and weaken the APC’s ability to mobilise effectively for its candidates across different levels of government.
At the same time, political alliances and cross-party support can take different forms, making the precise structure, scope and electoral implications of any such arrangement important considerations.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the reported change in the handling of polling agents’ lists highlights the growing importance of internal discipline, candidate protection and electoral coordination within the APC.
Polling agents play a critical role in elections by observing proceedings at polling units, monitoring the voting process, witnessing the counting of ballots and documenting results in accordance with electoral rules. Their selection and deployment are therefore significant components of a candidate’s election-day strategy.
Any move to centralise their nomination could have far-reaching implications for the balance of influence between the APC’s national leadership and its state structures, particularly in states experiencing political disagreements.
Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the reported directive will depend on its implementation, the extent to which candidates comply with it and whether the national leadership can resolve the underlying disputes threatening party unity.
For now, the allegations surrounding Ondo State, the reported concerns over other governors and the possibility of changes to campaign financing point to a broader struggle within the ruling party over political loyalty and control ahead of the 2027 elections.
Whether the new procedure will strengthen the APC’s internal coordination or deepen existing tensions remains to be seen as preparations for the next electoral cycle gather momentum.