The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing growing internal crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections, as aggrieved members and defeated aspirants are defecting to opposition parties and seeking legal redress over primary election outcomes.

The development comes nearly four months after the party’s 2026 primaries, with reconciliation efforts by the National Working Committee (NWC) failing to resolve disputes in several states.

The party has set up reconciliation panels and sent peace missions to affected states, but some aggrieved members say the interventions have failed to provide a clear path back to political relevance.

The crisis is worsened by changes to the Electoral Act, which have reduced the options previously available to politicians after losing party primaries. In past election cycles, defeated aspirants could sometimes be accommodated through consensus arrangements, deputy positions and other political compromises.

Several of those leaving the APC have strong grassroots structures and loyal supporters, raising concerns that their defections could affect the party’s chances in governorship and National Assembly elections, as well as its wider electoral calculations.

In Nasarawa, former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, has defected from the APC to the Social Democratic Party after losing the governorship primary.

Kwara Senator Saliu Mustapha has also moved to the Peoples Democratic Party after being excluded from both the governorship and senatorial contests, taking his political structure with him.

In Bauchi, Senator Shehu Umar Buba has left the APC following his defeat in the governorship primary. The APC Deputy State Chairman, Ibrahim Misau, alongside some ward and local government officials, has also joined the exodus.

Cross River lawmaker Alex Egbona has defected to the PDP as he seeks a third term in the House of Representatives.

The situation in Osun remains unsettled, with Senator Iyiola Omisore rejecting reconciliation efforts after he was screened out of the governorship primary. About 20 of his loyalists have already defected to Accord.

In Ondo, some aggrieved aspirants have taken the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission to court over the outcomes of party primaries.

One of them, Pastor Akingboye Akinleke David, is challenging the emergence of Donald Ojogo as the APC candidate for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.

Political observers warn that the continued disputes could weaken the APC in affected constituencies and give opposition parties an advantage in the 2027 elections.

With several lawsuits still pending and defections continuing, the party’s reconciliation efforts face a major test as preparations for the 2027 campaigns intensify.