President Bola Tinubu has asked his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila and Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, to oversee the All Progressives Congress primary elections for the Senate and House of Representatives seats ahead of the 2027 general election.
The decision is said to have been made following meetings with top government officials and members of parliament in both chambers who raised concerns about fairness and proper internal party processes in the selection of candidates.
Under the arrangement, Gbajabiamila and Masari would work with APC governors, the party’s National Working Committee, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Their role is to coordinate the political actors involved in the primaries.
In addition, they are expected to meet with state governors and party leaders nationwide to have the primaries conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. They will report to the President on how the process is carried out in different states.
The APC National Working Committee will continue to perform her official duties in accordance with the Electoral Act and party rules. These include issuing notices for the primaries, screening of candidates, appointment of committees and announcement of results.
The supervisory team will not assume the constitutional responsibilities of the party leadership. Instead they will concentrate on co-ordination, monitoring adherence to procedures and helping to resolve disputes that may occur in the process.
