The battle for return tickets in Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has become one of the most defining political struggles ahead of the next election cycle. What began as a promise of certainty for legislators—both defectors and incumbents—has now turned into a contest dominated by state governors, leaving many lawmakers disillusioned and questioning the value of their loyalty.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had initially raised expectations by assuring legislators of automatic tickets. The pledge was widely interpreted as a reward for loyalty and a strategy to consolidate APC’s majority in the National Assembly. For lawmakers who defected from opposition parties, the promise was a lifeline: a guarantee that their political survival was secured once they joined the ruling party. It was a message that encouraged defections and strengthened the APC’s numerical advantage in parliament.
But the assurances were short-lived. In a dramatic reversal, the APC Chairman announced that governors would now hold the authority to decide who gets the party’s ticket. This decision effectively nullified the earlier guarantees, placing the fate of legislators in the hands of state executives who control party structures at the grassroots level. The announcement sent shockwaves through the ranks of lawmakers, many of whom had defected solely on the strength of presidential assurances.
Amid this reversal, however, a select group of legislators have reportedly been exempted from the predicament. Those said to have secured automatic tickets include Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara West), Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East), Idiat Oluranti Adebule (Lagos West), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Abdullahi Yahaya Abubakar (Kebbi North). Their exemption is tied to their stabilizing role in the National Assembly and their close alignment with the Presidency. For these few, the promise of certainty remains intact, but their case highlights the selective nature of political patronage in a party where most lawmakers must now seek gubernatorial approval to secure nominations.
For the majority, disappointment looms large. Legislators who defected to the APC with the expectation of guaranteed tickets now face the harsh reality of political bargaining. Without strong ties to their governors, many may have to bid farewell to their ambitions of returning to the National Assembly. The reversal has left them vulnerable, dependent on governors who may prioritize loyalists within their states over defectors or incumbents from Abuja.
Political analysts argue that this development strengthens the dominance of governors within the APC, reinforcing a long-standing reality in Nigerian politics: governors are the ultimate custodians of party structures. By handing over control of tickets, Tinubu has effectively elevated governors to gatekeepers of political survival, potentially marginalizing federal lawmakers and intensifying intra-party competition.
The implications for party cohesion are significant. While the President may have sought to consolidate unity by empowering governors, the move risks deepening tensions between legislators and state executives. Lawmakers who feel betrayed may become less cooperative in the National Assembly, while governors, emboldened by their new authority, may wield their influence more aggressively in shaping the party’s future.
For many legislators, the saga is a sobering reminder that loyalty to the President is not enough. In today’s APC, survival depends on relationships at the state level. The promise of automatic tickets has given way to the harsh reality of political survival, where governors stand as the ultimate gatekeepers, deciding who returns to the National Assembly and who is left behind.
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