The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) says it will not present a presidential candidate in the 2027 election and may adopt President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if he secures the APC nomination.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has announced that it will not field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, revealing plans to adopt Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its preferred candidate if he secures the nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party’s National Chairman, Sly Ezeokenwa, made the disclosure on Thursday during a press briefing in Lagos, where he addressed questions about APGA’s strategy for the next presidential election.
APGA Signals Support for Tinubu’s Second-Term Bid
According to Ezeokenwa, the party’s decision to consider adopting President Tinubu is based on what he described as the good faith and political alignment shown by the president toward APGA.
He stated that if Tinubu secures the APC presidential ticket through direct primaries, APGA’s national convention would likely endorse him.
“We hope that during the national convention of the APC, if he secures the nomination of his party through direct primaries, I can bet you that the national convention of APGA will adopt him as our presidential candidate,” Ezeokenwa said.
He added that the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda aligns with APGA’s ideology and development goals.
Adoption of Candidates from Other Parties Not New
Ezeokenwa noted that APGA adopting a candidate from another political party is not unprecedented.
He recalled that the party previously endorsed former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate during the 2011 and 2015 elections.
According to him, the move was fully legal and consistent with Nigeria’s electoral framework.
“We decided to return to this policy for a reason. Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda resonates with us. He has shown us good faith. We share similar ideology. If he gets the nomination of his party, we will adopt him,” he added.
APGA Reacts to Amendments to the Electoral Act
The APGA chairman also commented on recent amendments to Nigeria’s Electoral Act, particularly the introduction of direct primaries for political parties.
While he acknowledged that the policy could increase transparency in candidate selection, he expressed concern that certain provisions may limit the independence of political parties.
Ezeokenwa referenced the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which now requires political parties to submit their membership registers at least 21 days before primaries, congresses, or conventions.
Under the new law, only individuals whose names appear in the official membership register will be eligible to vote or contest in party primaries.
Concerns Over Impact on Smaller Political Parties
Despite welcoming the adoption of direct primaries, Ezeokenwa warned that some provisions of the law could disadvantage smaller political parties.
He argued that political parties should retain the autonomy to determine their membership structures.
“The constitution says you must belong to a political party, but you don’t determine for me who my members should be. It’s none of your business,” he said.
He further alleged that there were attempts to weaken smaller parties and restrict their ability to field credible candidates.
APGA Begins Digital Membership Registration
In compliance with the new electoral regulations, APGA has launched a digital membership registration and revalidation exercise.
Ezeokenwa explained that the registration process began on March 1 and will run for one month, allowing members nationwide to update their records in the party’s database.
The initiative, he said, is part of efforts to strengthen internal party structures and ensure compliance with the requirements of the Electoral Act ahead of future elections.