A sweeping political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections has plunged Nigeria’s National Assembly into uncertainty, as no fewer than ten state governors and former governors are now actively working to displace incumbent senators in what is rapidly emerging as the most consequential reshuffling of the legislative landscape in recent memory.
The serving governors, whose constitutional tenures will expire by May 2027, are leveraging their grip on the structures of their respective political parties to secure Senate tickets, largely through “consensus” arrangements that have effectively shut out incumbent senators and rival aspirants alike.
At least 12 of the 36 incumbent governors are currently serving their second and final terms in office. Of that number, 10 will complete their constitutionally mandated eight years on 29th May, 2027, setting the stage for a high-stakes political transition that is already unsettling party structures across the country.
Eight of the affected governors are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, while Seyi Makinde of Oyo State remains in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi is now affiliated with the Allied Peoples Movement.
Those completing their tenure in 2027 include AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), alongside Makinde and Bala Mohammed. Although Governors Douye Diri of Bayelsa and Hope Uzodimma of Imo will also conclude their second terms, their exit dates fall in January and February 2028, respectively, due to off-cycle elections — a timeline that has nonetheless not excluded them from early Senate calculations.
The political ground was effectively shifted last month when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during a meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly, rebuffed lobbying efforts by the lawmakers to secure automatic return tickets for the ruling party’s legislators ahead of the 2027 general elections. Instead, the President firmly reaffirmed the authority of state governors over the selection of candidates in their respective states.
Tinubu had earlier suggested that he would “do everything within the party’s power” to ensure the return of serving legislators — a promise that had raised expectations within the Senate and the House of Representatives. Multiple senior National Assembly sources familiar with the meeting confirmed that the senators had visited the Villa specifically to press for the President’s assurances.
According to one insider, “The meeting was to plead for automatic tickets for senators, but President Tinubu insisted that the governor of each state has influence over candidates. They made a case for continuity and stability and argued for automatic tickets, but the President was very clear in his response. 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.”
Less than 24 hours later, President Tinubu reportedly convened a second meeting, this time exclusively with APC governors. Those present included Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, among others.
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, revealed that Tinubu had formally empowered the governors to drive the primaries process. “We came to thank the President for his magnanimity and his support to the governors and for our party, the APC,” Bago disclosed. “He gave us a matching order on what to do for him. He has delegated and ceded his executive power to the governors to conduct primaries in accordance with the Electoral Act, either through consensus or direct primaries. So, he has reiterated his support for our decision, and he has given us a go-ahead.”
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq corroborated the account, declaring, “The timetable for the primaries has been released. We’ve discussed the process moving forward so that there will be free and fair elections, no rancour, at the end of the process, so the party comes out stronger, stronger than ever, heading towards the election.”
Investigations across Yobe, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Ogun, Gombe, Bauchi, Kwara, Imo, and other states have revealed a clear and unmistakable pattern. Party stakeholders are endorsing the governors or their anointed candidates as sole candidates while rival aspirants are pressured or compelled to step aside, and primaries are either avoided entirely or rendered symbolic. In many of the affected states, incumbent senators are either being forced into silence, compelled to withdraw, or locked out altogether.
In Yobe State, the incumbent senator representing Yobe East senatorial district, Musa Mustapha, formally stepped aside to back Governor Mai Mala Buni after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Damaturu. Mustapha also withdrew from the APC governorship race, pledging full support for Buni and endorsing the party leadership’s direction ahead of the 2027 elections.
The senator announced his decision in a statement following a stakeholders’ meeting held on 23rd April, 2026, at the Government House in Damaturu. The meeting, convened under the auspices of the Yobe APC Critical Stakeholders’ Forum, was led by Governor Buni and the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam.
“During our meeting, we unanimously agreed to support whoever our leaders present as their preferred governorship candidate,” Mustapha said. He added that his decision was guided by “integrity and responsibility,” declaring, “In the spirit of integrity and responsibility, I hereby formally withdraw from the contest for the APC senatorial ticket.”
The lawmaker further clarified that he would not seek the senatorial ticket on any other platform. “Additionally, to make it explicitly clear, I am not contesting for the senatorial ticket. Rather, I will fully support our leader, His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni, to contest the senatorial seat,” he stated. He further directed his supporters to shut down or repurpose all social media platforms promoting his ambition, and urged campaign volunteers to desist immediately.
In Gombe, the former state governor and Senator representing Gombe Central, Danjuma Goje, has lost his bid to return to the Senate for a fifth term, following a zoning arrangement widely believed to favour a candidate aligned with Governor Muhammadu Yahaya. The beneficiary of the arrangement is retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed, from Yamaltu-Deba.
Reacting to the consensus arrangement, Goje’s aide, Saidu Kumo, faulted the process, insisting on strict adherence to due process. “This method (consensus arrangement) must be strictly adhered to to ensure legality and transparency in the electoral process,” he said. He further noted that several aspirants had already purchased their Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, but were excluded from the consensus meeting held at Government House.
Goje’s loss was partly attributed to his political rift with Governor Yahaya, which dates back to 2020 during the governor’s first term, with the disagreement peaking in the lead-up to the 2023 elections when Goje distanced himself from Yahaya’s re-election campaign. At an emergency meeting held in Gombe, Professor Mustapha Yahaya of the Federal University, Kashere, emphasised that “democracy is fundamentally anchored on the will of the people, credible representation, and proven leadership,” arguing that Goje’s experience makes him best suited to continue in office.
In Imo State, the leadership of the APC named Governor Hope Uzodimma as the consensus candidate for the Imo West senatorial seat, despite the desire of the incumbent Senator Osita Izunaso to return to the red chambers. APC leaders and stakeholders from the Orlu Zone, led by the State APC Chairman, Chief Austin Onyedebelu, last Saturday purchased the 2027 senatorial nomination form for the governor, who is reportedly eyeing the position of Senate President.
Onyedebelu, while presenting the forms to Uzodimma’s Chief of Staff, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, declared, “My dear people of Orlu zone, I welcome you to the party secretariat, and I want to inform you that I have, as directed and sponsored by you, purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for our governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, to vie for the Senatorial election on behalf of all well-meaning Orlu people.”
The state chapter of the APC has already advised all aspirants for the Orlu senatorial district not to contest against Uzodimma, affirming his status as the consensus candidate. Former Governor Rochas Okorocha has, however, defied the directive and purchased his nomination form to return to the Senate. According to his trusted aide, Darlington Ibekwe, “Former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has purchased his nomination form to contest the Orlu zone senate with Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma. The political atmosphere is tense as Okorocha is set to battle Uzodimma in the APC primaries.”
Senator Izunaso could not be reached for comment, with his media aide, David Nwaenyi, stating that the senator was tied up with a motion of urgent national importance. Meanwhile, the Orlu Political Consultative Assembly has declared Uzodimma the sole candidate for Imo West in what its National President, Rex Anunobi, described as a “total, unanimous, and irrevocable decision.”
In Ogun State, the consensus arrangement has fully collapsed into open conflict. Governor Dapo Abiodun’s declaration for the Ogun East senatorial seat has placed him on a direct collision course with incumbent Senator Gbenga Daniel. Abiodun made his intention clear during a caucus meeting, declaring, “I will offer Ogun East the best representation ever in the history of the Red Chamber. I will not be a back bencher… I will offer good representation to the good people of Ogun East, so help me God.” Following his declaration and subsequent endorsement by leaders of the caucus, Daniel publicly declared the endorsement null and void.
In Adamawa State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was declared the consensus candidate for the Adamawa North senatorial seat, with the incumbent lawmaker, Reverend Amos Yohanna, reportedly halting his re-election plans and personally purchasing the APC nomination and expression of interest forms for the governor. “As a student of Fintiri’s politics, I believe this is the right time to allow experience, excellence and an outstanding track record to take Adamawa North to greater heights,” Yohanna said. “My decision is borne out of love for him and our people.”
In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule was declared the consensus candidate for the Nasarawa North senatorial district, with his nomination form submitted on Monday. The governor had earlier openly acknowledged the pressure mounted on him from various quarters to run for the Senate seat.
In Borno State, although Governor Babagana Zulum has not publicly declared his intention, the consensus arrangements have reportedly been concluded. The Senator representing Borno Central Senatorial District, Kaka Lawan, will retain his seat after being pressured to withdraw from the governorship race and back his rival, Mustapha Gubio, the APC consensus candidate anointed by the state governor. Sources said it took the personal intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is Lawan’s parent in Borno politics, before the senator agreed to abide by the resolution.
In Kwara State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has reportedly picked up the APC nomination form for the Kwara Central Senatorial seat, with no other aspirant having so far obtained the form, raising the prospect that he will emerge as the consensus candidate. The incumbent Senator representing Kwara Central, Salihu Mustapha, is reportedly eyeing the governorship instead. Two other governorship aspirants, Lola Ashiru from Kwara South and Sadiq Suleiman Umar from Kwara North, have also obtained the party’s senatorial forms.
In Delta State, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is being positioned to replace incumbent Senator Ned Nwoko. Okowa, the PDP Vice Presidential candidate during the 2023 general elections, recently defected to the APC and is believed to have the backing of the state governor. The ex-governor declared his senatorial ambition while addressing a delegation of political leaders from the Delta North Senatorial District (Anioma), led by the Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme.
The high-powered delegation comprised former and serving members of the National Assembly, senior government officials, and influential political stakeholders from the nine local government areas of the senatorial district. Members of the delegation, including Chief Chris Agbobu, a former minister from Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as “the declining quality of representation currently being experienced at the Senate.” They argued that Okowa remained “a seasoned administrator, consensus builder, and bridge between diverse political interests” whose experience as governor and former senator placed him in a strong position to deliver effective representation.
A formal motion calling on Okowa to contest was moved by former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, and seconded by a serving member of the House, Nnamdi Ezechi, and received unanimous approval. Responding, Okowa said he was “deeply moved” by the show of unity and confidence reposed in him by the people of Anioma. “I feel very loved and honoured by this show of support. For the calibre of persons here and the unity of purpose demonstrated, I have no choice but to accept,” he stated. “As I accept your request, this is not about me alone. It is a collective project. We will run it together and, by the grace of God, we will win together. I will not disappoint you.”
Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has also picked up the APC nomination form for the Kogi Central senatorial contest. Bello reportedly received the forms on Saturday and has emerged as the party’s consensus candidate for the seat. Having served two terms as governor of Kogi State before handing over to the current Governor Usman Ododo, Bello is expected to face the incumbent Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party.
In what may prove to be the most emotionally charged twist in the unfolding drama, former Cross River Governor, Ben Ayade, on Monday disclosed that he had been asked to drop his Senate ambition following a high-level consultation. Lamenting his exclusion from the race in a tearful statement, Ayade declared, “Mr President wants me to withhold my Senate ambition. I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill-treatment and agony.”
The former governor warned that political rivals were the actual beneficiaries of the directive, stating, “I trust that Mr President may not be aware that those who turned our churches against us are the beneficiaries of his instruction.”
Highlighting his historical contributions to the APC, Ayade reminded the President, “I was the first APC Governor in the whole of South-South Nigeria that built the new APC that we enjoy today.” He further claimed that despite his efforts, he had been sidelined for over three years without any federal appointment, even as he is currently running a free transportation scheme to support the President’s expected 2027 re-election bid. Ayade appealed to the President to revisit the directive, arguing that his federal constituency had only enjoyed senatorial representation for eight years, while his main opponent had held office for 20 years.
