By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Just over a week after President Bola Tinubu assented to the 2026 Electoral Act, signs of discord have emerged within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to reports from leadership, a number of APC governors are deeply unhappy with the removal of the indirect primary election mode from the newly signed legislation.

According to party insiders, the governors feel they were outmaneuvered by federal lawmakers, who they claim drove the amendment process with unusual speed, culminating in the President’s prompt assent.

“We feel frustrated and ambushed,” a governor from the South-East region was quoted as telling an aide to President Tinubu during a meeting in Abuja on Sunday. The source added that the South-East governor was accompanied by a colleague from the South-West to voice their collective concerns. Their primary grievance, it was gathered, is that the new law significantly curtails their influence over the candidate selection process within the party.

At the heart of the dispute is the removal of the indirect primaries option. The previous Electoral Act of 2022, in Section 84(2), allowed political parties to nominate candidates through direct, indirect, or consensus primaries. The new 2026 Act, however, prescribes only direct and consensus primaries in Section 84.

The indirect system, often referred to as the delegate system, has historically been a powerful tool for state governors, who typically wield significant control over the selection of delegates. The new direct primary mode, which mandates voting by all registered party members, is seen by the governors as a move that dilutes their control over who flies the party’s flag, particularly for National Assembly seats.

A credible source within the party elaborated on the governors’ perspective, stating that they felt sidelined during the legislative process. “All the governors elected on the APC platform are committed to complementing the efforts of our leader and President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the source said. “But the events of the last few days have felt like an ambush. There is a growing frustration that the President may be prioritising the counsel of some lawmakers over that of the governors.”

The source clarified that the governors’ opposition is not to the entire bill but to specific provisions. “It’s not that they have many issues with the entire Bill, but they had tabled specific reservations with Mr. President, particularly regarding the selection of National Assembly candidates for the 2027 elections. He had given his consent on those points. The governors believe they have a better grasp of the grassroots and who is electable.

Their plan was to complement Mr. President by ensuring the nomination of strong candidates. Now, they feel ambushed and frustrated that they may be sidelined from nominating candidates for the National Assembly elections.”

Responding to the reports, the Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, moved to quell the narrative of a rift, stating that governors were not outwitted and remain loyal to the party and national interest.

In a statement released through his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media, Hon. Oguwike Nwachuku, Governor Uzodimma described the amendment process as a purely legislative affair. He stressed that the lawmakers acted in the national interest and that the resulting framework is for the overall good of the populace.

“The legislators deliberated on it and arrived at a compromise, which the president assented to,” Governor Uzodimma was quoted as saying. He emphasised that as responsible and responsive members of the party, “they are loyal to every decision of the party.”

He further submitted that the governors have “no reason to feel outwitted,” as the actions were taken “for the well-being and overall good and benefit of the populace.”

President Tinubu signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law last Wednesday. The signing proceeded despite public debate over another contentious clause that makes the electronic transmission of election results optional. The final version of the Bill notably deleted the indirect primary option, retaining only the direct and consensus modes.