THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has firmly ruled out the granting of automatic tickets to governors who recently defected from other political parties or are planning to join the ruling party, declaring that all aspirants must earn their mandates through competitive party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
News Point Nigeria gathered that top leaders of the party, including members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), disclosed that defection into the ruling party does not confer special privileges or guarantees of re-election, regardless of political status or incumbency.
A senior NWC member, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to comment publicly, said the party had taken a clear position against automatic tickets long before the current wave of defections.
“Defection from another political party to the APC does not and will not guarantee an automatic ticket. The party has made it clear that every aspirant must go through the democratic process,” the source said.
Among the governors affected by the policy are Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno; Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas; Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara; and Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, all formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, is also among the high-profile defectors.
In Kano State, speculation over the imminent defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC has intensified, but negotiations have reportedly stalled over his demand for a written guarantee of an automatic governorship ticket in 2027.
Sources close to the talks revealed that Governor Yusuf’s conditions for defection include not only an automatic ticket but also the right to nominate a minister to represent Kano State and to replace existing federal appointees with his loyalists.
However, the APC leadership both at the national and state levels has rejected these demands, insisting that no individual would be allowed to circumvent party primaries or internal democracy.
A prominent APC figure in the North-West said the party was unwilling to sacrifice its internal structure or the ambitions of longstanding members to accommodate defectors.
“The APC will not compromise its standards for anyone. Governors who join the party must contest primaries like every other member,” the source said.
The refusal has reportedly heightened tension in Governor Yusuf’s camp, leading to the postponement of his planned defection on multiple occasions. The situation is further complicated by the governorship ambition of Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, a key power broker within the Kano APC, as well as the influence of former Governor and ex-APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Party insiders confirmed that the APC leadership is unwilling to undermine its national figures to secure Yusuf’s defection.
Meanwhile, Kano APC Secretary, Alhaji Zakari Sarina, denied reports that the party had held meetings with Governor Yusuf over securing an automatic ticket, describing such claims as baseless rumours aimed at destabilising the state’s political environment.
“The APC has not discussed any automatic ticket with Governor Yusuf. Whenever he decides to join, he will be welcomed like every other member, but no special arrangements exist,” Sarina said.
Further uncertainty surrounds Yusuf’s political future following reports that his deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, intends to remain in the NNPP, a development that could trigger a major political clash and even raise impeachment concerns if the governor defects.
Fueling speculation, Yusuf recently convened the first Kano State Executive Council meeting of 2026 in Abuja while not wearing his signature Kwankwasiyya red cap and not displaying the NNPP flag, dampening expectations of an imminent defection.
Kwankwasiyya leader and former Kano Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has described Yusuf’s planned defection as a betrayal, though he has not ruled out his own possible move to the APC provided strict conditions are met.
In a video shared online, Kwankwaso said he would only defect based on a “concrete agreement” that protects his political structure and supporters, adding that he would not move without firm guarantees.
Reacting to the APC’s stance, the PDP and NNPP said the refusal to grant automatic tickets vindicated their long-held warnings to defecting governors.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the defectors abandoned their party for selfish reasons and would soon regret their decision.
“This is only the beginning of their regret. The APC does not value its members the way they expect. They will be treated as outsiders, and many of their expectations will not be met,” Ememobong said.
Similarly, NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, said the APC lured governors with promises that were unlikely to be fulfilled.
“They promise you everything to bring you in, but once you arrive, the rules change. This situation often leaves defectors frustrated and politically constrained,” he said.
Defending the defections, an APC NWC member dismissed claims that governors were joining the ruling party solely to secure re-election, attributing the influx to the achievements of President Bola Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The APC has already made it clear that even the President would not receive an automatic ticket. The same rule applies to governors old or new members alike,” he said.
He stressed that party members, not defectors or party elites, would ultimately determine candidates through democratic primaries.