The internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress in Delta State has escalated, with a faction of legacy members issuing a stark warning of “political consequences” if they are sidelined ahead of the 2027 elections.
Operating under the banner of the Delta State APC Coalition for Equity, the aggrieved members accused recent defectors—largely from the People’s Democratic Party—of attempting to dominate party structures and exclude long-standing members from the primaries.
At a meeting held in Ute-Ogbeje, Ika North East Local Government Area, the coalition’s convener, Alex Ikpeazu, said the group would resist any form of marginalisation, insisting that the party must adhere strictly to an agreed power-sharing formula.
“We are being completely excluded from the structure and the primaries,” Ikpeazu said, warning that any attempt to deny legacy members their stake would trigger serious repercussions. “There will be political consequences. The 2027 election is going to be like no other.”
60/40 Formula at Centre of Dispute
Central to the dispute is a controversial 60/40 sharing arrangement reportedly endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, allocating 60 per cent of party positions to legacy APC members and 40 per cent to new entrants led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
The coalition, in an eight-point communiqué, demanded immediate and transparent implementation of the formula across all levels of the party, particularly at the grassroots.
It also insisted that the position of the state party chairman be retained by a candidate from the legacy bloc, warning against what it described as “impunity and imposition” in the current leadership arrangement.
Allegations of Structural Takeover
The group further alleged that most ward chairmanship positions across the state had been taken over by PDP defectors, citing Ika North East LGA, where all 14 ward chairmen were reportedly drawn from the new entrants.
It dismissed claims by the party’s national leadership that all legal disputes had been resolved, maintaining that several court cases, especially those relating to the state chairmanship, remain pending.
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Former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was also indirectly referenced in the coalition’s warning, as tensions deepen over the integration of former PDP structures into the APC framework.
Conditional Support for Tinubu
Despite the internal wrangling, the coalition reaffirmed its support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, describing his reforms as “amazing” and deserving of continuity. However, it tied this support to the enforcement of the 60/40 arrangement.
The group urged the national leadership of the party to intervene swiftly, warning that failure to resolve the dispute could weaken the APC’s cohesion and electoral prospects in Delta State.
Growing Risk Ahead of 2027
Political observers note that the crisis reflects broader tensions within the APC in states experiencing high-profile defections, where the balance between legacy members and new entrants remains fragile.
With both camps asserting influence ahead of party primaries, the situation in Delta underscores the challenge of harmonising interests without undermining internal democracy, an issue that could shape the party’s performance in the 2027 general elections.