President Bola Tinubu has directed his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, to oversee the All Progressives Congress primary elections for Senate and House of Representatives seats ahead of the 2027 general election.
TheTimes Nigeria reports that the decision comes after meetings between top government officials and lawmakers in both chambers, where concerns were raised about fairness and proper internal party processes during the selection of candidates.
Under the arrangement, Gbajabiamila and Masari will 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 ensure coordination between political actors involved in the primaries.
They are also expected to engage state governors and party leaders across the country so that the primaries are conducted in a calm and orderly manner. They will report back to the President on how the process is carried out in different states.
The APC National Working Committee will still carry out its official duties in line with the Electoral Act and party rules. This includes issuing notices for the primaries, screening candidates, appointing committees, and announcing results.
The supervisory team will not take over the constitutional responsibilities of the party leadership. Instead, they will focus on coordination, monitoring how procedures are followed, and helping to resolve disputes that may arise during the process.
