Tinubu rejects automatic tickets, empowers governors on APC primaries

President Bola Tinubu has rejected calls by federal lawmakers for automatic return tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections, reaffirming the authority of state governors in determining candidates during party primaries.

 

The President’s position, communicated during a closed-door meeting with the extended leadership of the Senate at the Presidential Villa, has reportedly heightened anxiety among lawmakers, particularly those with strained relationships with their state governors.

 

Sources familiar with the meeting said senators had sought assurances of automatic tickets to secure their re-election bids, citing the need for continuity and stability. However, Tinubu was said to have insisted that governors, as party leaders in their states, must retain influence over candidate selection.

 

“He told them plainly that governors were the leaders of the party in their states and must have a say on who gets the ticket,” a source said.

 

Less than 24 hours later, the President held a separate meeting with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he formally empowered them to drive the primaries process.

 

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, who briefed State House correspondents, said Tinubu had given governors the go-ahead to conduct primaries in line with the Electoral Act.

 

“He has given and ceded his executive power to the governors to go ahead and conduct primaries based on the Electoral Act, either by consensus or direct primaries,” Bago said.

 

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, also confirmed the development, noting that discussions focused on ensuring a rancour-free process that would strengthen the party ahead of the elections.

 

Tinubu’s stance aligns with the position of the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who recently stated that automatic tickets are not recognised under the party’s constitution or the Electoral Act.

 

“There is no automatic ticket in our constitution. The party cannot promise an automatic ticket to anyone,” Yilwatda said.

 

Meanwhile, the APC has released its revised timetable for the 2027 primaries, with House of Representatives primaries scheduled for May 15, Senate primaries for May 18, governorship primaries for May 21, and the presidential primary fixed for May 23, 2026.