LAGOS, Nigeria: Governorship aspirants within the country’s All Progressives Congress rejected pressure to step down for consensus candidates across at least 10 states ahead of the party primaries scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2026 (WAT).
Plateau State governorship aspirant Yilcini Bida dismissed reports of his withdrawal from the race on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. “I want to inform the people of Plateau State that I am still in the race. Rumours are flying around that I have stepped down, but I remain fully committed to contesting the primary on Thursday,” he said.
Okay News reports that the All Progressives Congress generated N5.05 billion ($3,680,758) from the sale of forms to 101 governorship aspirants nationwide. The party fixed the expression of interest form at N10 million ($7,288) and the nomination form at N40 million ($29,154).
Incumbent governors in Delta, Kano, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Niger, Akwa Ibom, and Ebonyi secured consensus backing. Jigawa party chairman MK Garba confirmed the arrangement for his state. “We don’t have any other contestant apart from Governor Umar Namadi. The process will simply ratify the consensus already reached by party leaders and members,” he said.
In Kwara State, 14 aspirants are contesting the ticket against Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq‘s preferred successor, Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki. A senior party official in Ilorin stated that the aspirants insisted on a direct primary election. “The governor may have made his preference known, but many aspirants are not willing to surrender their ambitions. They believe the ticket should be determined through open contest and not predetermined arrangements,” the source said.
Oyo State recorded 11 aspirants, Adamawa State recorded 10, and Bauchi State recorded eight. Appeals arising from the primary elections are expected to be heard on May 24, 2026.
