Okowa, Joel-Onowakpo,  Dafinone’s Names Make APC Final Candidates’ List

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly forwarded a nomination form containing the name of former Delta State Governor Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as the candidate of the party in the Delta North Senatorial District for the 2027 general elections.

Sources privy to the development revealed that Okowa’s nomination form alongside that of Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas,  incumbent Senator for Delta South and Senator Ede Dafinone for Delta Central have been forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“I can convincingly tell you that Okowa’s name has been submitted.  It was clear to everyone that he won the primary so when the Primary Election Appeal Committee met they saw the evidence and couldn’t disapprove the fact that he won overwhelmingly. 

“You can see the stories trending now about some states. Delta was not included because there was no dispute at all about the candidates that won the party’s primaries in Delta”, the source said.

Meanwhile, multiple reports revealed that the party was secretly distributing forms to selected aspirants, indicating that the window for change has officially closed for aggrieved politicians.

According to Daily Sun, the party has dropped former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, former Ondo State House of Representatives member, Gbenga Elegbeleye and five other senatorial candidates from the final lists of the party’s candidates forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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Also dropped and replaced candidates are 19 House of Representatives candidates that emerged victorious in the May party’s primary elections. According to the document, states affected include Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi.

In the correspondence sent to the electoral umpire and signed by both the National Chairman and National Secretary, Nentawe Yilwatda and Ajibola Basiru respectively, the party’s national leadership attributed the changes to the reports of the Primary Election Appeal Committee.

Titled: “Forwarding of approved list of senatorial and House of Representatives candidates, the letter read: “We write to formally forward the attached list of the party’s candidates for the affected senatorial and House of Representatives candidates constituencies arising from the report of the Primary Election Appeal Committee.”

“Following the determination of Appeals from the recently concluded primary elections, the Reports of the Appeal Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by NWC of the APC as the party’s final position on the affected constituencies.

“In accordance with the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) and INEC’s regulations and guidelines, we hereby transmit the enclosed list of the approved candidates for seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies for your records and necessary action. Please accept the assurance of our highest regards.” 

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