188 APC Senators, Reps May Secure Return Tickets
As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares to conduct its National Assembly primaries on Friday, no fewer than 188 serving members of the 10th National Assembly may return to the legislature in 2027, LEADERSHIP has reliably gathered.
Barring any last-minute changes, the affected lawmakers are expected to scale through the nomination process with ease as part of what party insiders described as a consolidation strategy by President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawmakers reportedly include 48 serving senators and 140 members of the House of Representatives who have been pencilled down for return tickets.
Among the affected lawmakers, the South-West has the highest number of potential returnees on the APC platform, followed by the South-South.
A highly placed source within the APC and a member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) told LEADERSHIP that governors of the affected states had already been informed of the development through what he described as “backdoor channels.”
It remains unclear whether the lawmakers selected by President Tinubu were nominated by their respective governors.
However, the source said the lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly were recommended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Calls and messages sent to the media aides of the Senate President and the Speaker were not responded to as of press time.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the leadership of the National Assembly had, on April 22, led a delegation to President Tinubu to seek automatic tickets for incumbent APC lawmakers.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele confirmed the meeting in a post on his verified X account, stating that “far-reaching decisions were taken at this strategic meeting.”
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also confirmed the meeting, describing it as a consultation between Tinubu and “the extended leadership of the Senate.”
Before then, Speaker Abbas had advocated automatic return tickets for performing legislators, warning that the high turnover rate in the National Assembly undermined democratic stability.
However, less than 24 hours after meeting with lawmakers, Tinubu also met with APC governors.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, revealed that Tinubu had empowered governors to drive the primary election process.
Consequently, political tensions have reportedly emerged in some APC-controlled states, including Benue, Ondo, and Ogun, where governors and serving federal lawmakers are at odds over legislative tickets.
Sources said the move to facilitate the return of incumbent lawmakers is aimed at creating a broad but mutually beneficial arrangement between the legislature and the presidency.
It was also gathered that the strategy is intended to reduce the high turnover of lawmakers in the National Assembly while strengthening the APC’s political base ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to party insiders, the move reflects the leadership’s preference for loyalty, continuity, and legislative experience.
The senior APC source said: “One major concern since the beginning of this administration has been the high number of rookie lawmakers in the National Assembly.
“Apart from making legislative processes more difficult, many lawmakers who emerged through the influence of governors remained primarily loyal to those governors.
“We are not saying lawmakers, especially at the federal level, should be subservient to the executive. What we are talking about is robust collaboration.
“The legislature also needs experienced hands. So, what the presidency appears to have done is conduct a discreet assessment of lawmakers to avoid excessive turnover. As a party, we support the idea.
“That is why no fewer than 148 House of Representatives members and 40 senators are likely to return to provide an experienced foundation for the President’s second term.”
However, the identities of the lawmakers involved remain unclear.
It was gathered that 15 of the 20 APC members of the House of Representatives from Lagos State are expected to retain their seats.
In Oyo State, all eight APC lawmakers reportedly received clearance to return, while seven APC lawmakers in Ogun State are also expected to secure return tickets. Osun State is similarly said to have seven returning lawmakers.
In Ondo State, seven APC House members, alongside Senators Jide Ipinsagba (Ondo North) and Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central), reportedly made the list of favoured returnees.
Sources further revealed that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s preferred candidate, Isaac Kekemeke, for the vacant Ondo South Senatorial seat, was excluded from the arrangement, although the possible successor to Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has yet to emerge publicly.