LAFIA, Nigeria — The Nasarawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has dismissed circulating reports alleging plans to replace any of its candidates who emerged victorious in the party’s recent primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The state chairman of the party, Dr. Aliyu Bello, clarified the party's stance on Saturday in Lafia during the official distribution of the Independent National Electoral Commission Forms EC9 and EC13E to the 24 successful House of Assembly candidates. Bello characterized the rumors regarding candidate substitution as entirely false and challenged anyone spreading the claims to present verifiable proof.
The chairman emphasized that no candidate has been replaced, nor is there any strategy to do so. He dismissed the ongoing narratives as mere speculation, explaining that the statutory forms were being issued strictly to candidates whose names had been vetted and submitted by the All Progressives Congress National Secretariat. He noted that these identical names would be uploaded directly to the official electoral commission portal.
Bello further elaborated that substitution is administratively impossible under the current process because the distribution relies entirely on the roster provided by the national headquarters. He added that the state chapter is collaborating closely with the electoral body to ensure total compliance with the finalized timetable for the 2027 elections.
Looking forward to the upcoming polls, the party chairman expressed strong confidence in a clean sweep for the ruling party, citing recent successes in various off-cycle and by-elections across the country. To solidify this position, Bello revealed that a dedicated reconciliation committee is being established to engage aggrieved party members and reinforce internal unity. He concluded by reminding stakeholders that leadership ultimately comes from God, rather than any individual political actor or governor.
