APC drops Suswam, 19 reps hopefuls from 2027 election roll
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has replaced seven senatorial candidates and 19 house of representatives nominees in the final list of candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
The changes affect candidates in Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi states.
In a correspondence to INEC signed by Nentawe Yilwatda, APC national chairman, and Ajibola Basiru, national secretary, the party said the substitutions followed the recommendations of its primary election appeal committee.
Among those dropped is Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue state, who had emerged as the party’s senatorial candidate for Benue north-east during the APC primaries held in May.
The revised list restored the tickets of six serving senators, while Paul Ikonne, former chief executive officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), replaced Uchenna Erondu, a member of the Abia house of assembly, as the APC’s senatorial candidate for Abia south.
LIST OF REPLACED SENATORIAL CANDIDATES
* Kogi west: Sunday Karimi replaced Aro Samuel Bamidele.
* Abia south: Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu.
* Benue north-east: Emmanuel Udende replaced Gabriel Suswam.
* Benue north-west: Titus Zam replaced Benjamin T. Aber.
* Taraba north: Shuaibu Isa Lau replaced Mohammed Kabir Bello.
* Ondo central: Adeniyi Adegbonmire replaced Taiwo Fasoranti.
* Ondo north: Olajide Ipinsagba replaced Gbenga Elegbeleye.
The APC also replaced 19 house of representatives candidates across Benue, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Ondo, Kaduna, Abia and Ebonyi states.
LIST OF REPLACED HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CANDIDATES
Benue
* Makurdi/Guma: Dickson Tarkighir replaced Ikper Chris Terfa.
* Vandeikya/Konshisha: Sesoo Ikpagher replaced Livinus Tsar Adzor.
* Kwande/Ushongo: Terser Ugbor replaced Kohol Shedrach Iornem.
* Buruku: Sekav Dzua Iyortyom replaced Gideon Inyom.
* Gwer East/Gwer West: Austin Asema Achado replaced Nongo David.
Taraba
* Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna: Peter Abel Diah replaced Sanusi Mohammed Galadima.
Niger
* Suleja/Tafa/Gurara: Abubakar Lado Abdullahi replaced Adamu Tanko.
* Lavun/Edati/Mokwa: Adamu Suleiman replaced Adamu Usman.
Kwara
* Ekiti/Irepodun/Oke-Ero: Raheem Tunji Olawuyi replaced Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi.
* Edu/Patigi/Moro: Mohammed Mamman replaced Bello Tauheed Abubakar.
Ondo
* Ilaje/Ese-Odo: Donald Ojogo replaced Akingboye Leke.
* Idanre: Festus Olarewaju replaced Rasaq Obe.
* Owo/Ose: Oluwatimehin Akintomide replaced Kayode Ijalana.
* Okitipupa/Irele: Okunjinmi John Odimayo replaced Olumuyiwa Daramola.
* Ondo West/Ondo East: Michel Olamidotun Akintomide replaced Abiola Makinde.
* Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo: Festus Ayodele Adefiranye replaced Oyerinmade Matthew.
Kaduna
* Kaduna North: Abdulazeez Kaka replaced Samaila Abdu Suleiman.
Abia
* Ukwa East/Ukwa West: Samuel Okezie replaced Chris Nkwonta.
Ebonyi
* Afikpo North/Edda: Ekumankama Joseph Nkama replaced Iduma Igariwey Enwo.
The APC concluded its senatorial and house of representatives primaries in May, producing serving governors, former governors and incumbent lawmakers as candidates for the 2027 elections.
Among those who secured the party’s senatorial tickets are Godswill Akpabio, senate president; Jibrin Barau, deputy senate president; Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader; Adams Oshiomhole, former Edo governor; Orji Uzor Kalu, former Abia governor; Dapo Abiodun, Ogun governor; Hope Uzodimma, Imo governor; and Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa governor.
The revised list means Suswam is no longer among the ruling party’s senatorial candidates for the 2027 election.
