Anxiety has gripped many federal lawmakers across Nigeria as the ruling party begins preparations for the 2027 general elections.
According to a report by Punch Newspaper on 24 April 2026, President Bola Tinubu has rejected requests from the leadership of the National Assembly to grant automatic return tickets to sitting legislators. Instead, the president affirmed that state governors will dictate the selection of candidates within their respective domains.
The decision followed a closed-door meeting between the president and the extended leadership of the Senate at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
Federal lawmakers, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, approached the president to secure guarantees for their continuity in office. However, Tinubu maintained that governors remain the party leaders in their states and must determine who secures electoral tickets.
Barely twenty-four hours later, Tinubu held another meeting with All Progressives Congress governors to formally hand over the primary election process. Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago, who spoke after the session, confirmed the agreement.
