The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has removed former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and former House of Representatives member Gbenga Elegbeleye from its final list of National Assembly candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The major political shake-up also saw the replacement of five other senatorial aspirants and 19 House of Representatives candidates who had initially emerged victorious during the party’s primary elections.
The sweeping changes impact key legislative constituencies across nine states, including Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna, and Ebonyi.
The party’s national leadership attributed the radical decision to the findings and recommendations of the Primary Election Appeal Committee, which reviewed internal disputes arising from the nomination process.
The revised final list was formally transmitted to the electoral umpire in a joint correspondence signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru.
“Following the determination of Appeals from the recently concluded primary elections, the Reports of the Appeal Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the NWC of the APC as the party’s final position on the affected constituencies,” the official letter to INEC read in part.
The sudden removal of political heavyweights like Suswam and Elegbeleye is expected to significantly reshape the dynamics of the upcoming National Assembly contests, closing the window for aggrieved aspirants as the party officially begins distributing final nomination forms.
