Tinubu’s alleged endorsement list triggers fresh political unrest in the Senate and APC

…Senior lawmakers have reportedly written tickets for automatic re-election

…The silence of the Presidency and the Senate fuels speculation about the realignment of power

Daud Olatunji

The Senate and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have remained tight-lipped over fresh allegations that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a list of serving lawmakers for automatic return tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections, triggering renewed political unease within the ruling party..

The results indicate that several influential senators would be considered for automatic nomination in what party insiders described as a reward for their “stabilizing role” in the National Assembly from 2023.

Those listed include Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, along with other prominent parliamentarians said to have enjoyed presidential support in the party’s emerging internal calculations.

Others mentioned in the purported endorsement list include Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara West), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), Abdullahi Yahaya Abubakar (Kebbi North), Idiat Oluranti Adebule (Lagos West), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) and Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East).

The development was first brought into public discussion on Monday by Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris during a meeting with stakeholders in the state, where he hinted that some lawmakers were already being considered for automatic return tickets.

Idris said the legislators concerned are being recognized for what he described as their cooperation with the executive arm of government and helping pass key reforms, which he said have helped stabilize governance at the national level.

However, the claim has continued to generate controversy, especially as it comes just days after reports suggested that President Tinubu had ordered the automatic cancellation of tickets for lawmakers seeking re-election in 2027, deepening uncertainty within political circles.

Despite growing public interest, neither the Presidency nor the APC have officially confirmed the alleged approval list. Efforts to get answers from the Senate leadership also proved futile, as both the office of the Senate leader and that of the Senate speaker, Yemi Adaramodu, declined comment.

The silence has further fueled speculation about behind-the-scenes political negotiations and the possible realignment of power blocs ahead of the next election cycle.

Meanwhile, the controversy coincides with a growing leadership tussle within the APC in Abia State involving Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, both of whom have separately claimed presidential support to coordinate the affairs of the party in the state.

Orji Kalu, in a statement on Facebook, said he had been appointed by President Tinubu to supervise the activities of the APC in Abia State, pledging to work with stakeholders to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Likewise, Benjamin Kalu disclosed that the President had given instructions that in states without APC governors, senior political office holders should take charge of the party structures, a directive which he said places him in a strategic position within the party hierarchy.

The overlapping claims and purported endorsement list have intensified political uncertainty within the APC, as stakeholders await official clarification from the Presidency and party leadership on the direction of zoning, appointments and internal power structure ahead of 2027.

‘

Want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need advertising for a product, service or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com

We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Please donate any amount HERE