ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress disqualified more than 150 aspirants across several states during pre-primary screening exercises by Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
Reports has it that the screening process in states including Taraba, Kano, Jigawa, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Plateau resulted in protests and legal threats following the disqualifications.
Okay News reports that the Chairman of the Rivers State House of Assembly Screening Appeal Committee, Dr Abdul Mahmud, confirmed that 65 aspirants were disqualified in Rivers State while 33 were cleared. Dr Abdul Mahmud said, “Appellants have written to the chairman of the party, who has forwarded their petitions to us to consider.” He added that his panel had received 16 appeals by Tuesday evening and would continue sitting until 5:00 pm WAT on May 13, 2026.
In Benue State, approximately 40 aspirants were disqualified during the screening of House of Assembly candidates in Makurdi. A supporter of an affected aspirant, Amos, said, “It is our turn in Gboko to produce the state Assembly member because stakeholders had micro-zoned it to our area.”
In Kano State, at least 20 aspirants seeking Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assembly seats were screened out. Among those disqualified were Usman Bala, Sha’aban Sharada, Muhammad Zango, Danyaro Yakasai, Abbas Abbas, Shehu Driver, and A.A. Zaura. Nigeria’s State APC Publicity Secretary in Kano, Auwal Soja, confirmed that six aspirants in Kano Central stepped down for former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau.
In Anambra State, the All Progressives Congress expelled 30 members for starting legal actions against the party. Nigeria’s State APC Publicity Secretary in Anambra, Valentine Iyiegbu, said, “No fewer than 30 members of the APC in the state have been expelled following their litigations against the party.” He noted that the only reprieve for the expelled members would be the withdrawal of their court cases.
In Jigawa State, the former Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Isah Idris, resigned and joined the Peoples Democratic Party. Isah Idris wrote in a resignation letter, “As a founding member and former Speaker, I had hoped that the APC would remain true to the principles on which it was established. However, I now believe it is time for me to move on.”
In Zamfara State, the House of Assembly screening committee sold 114 forms for 22 available seats. Nigeria’s State APC Spokesperson in Zamfara, Ibrahim Magaji, said that 105 out of 114 candidates appeared for the screening exercise by Tuesday.
The Imo State APC Publicity Secretary, Dr Jones Onwuasoanya, said that the list of cleared candidates would be published on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Dr Jones Onwuasoanya stated that a total of 106 aspirants were screened at the party secretariat.
