Tinubu Rejects Senators’ Automatic Tickets for 2027, Hands Power to Governors

President Bola Tinubu has turned down lobbying by senators seeking automatic return tickets for the 2027 elections, telling them that the power to determine party candidacies rests with state governors under the APC power structure.

The decision sets the stage for bruising primary contests across the country and signals Tinubu’s strategic alignment with governors, who control party machinery at the state level.

No more automatic tickets

Several senators had lobbied the president for guaranteed return tickets, arguing that disrupting incumbency would weaken the party’s chances in contested states. Tinubu rejected the appeal flat out, insisting that the democratic process must run through proper primaries.

For senators who have fallen out with their state governors, the decision is effectively a political death sentence. Governors control patronage networks, delegate lists, and campaign infrastructure, making them the most powerful figures in the party hierarchy below the president.

Governors consolidate power

The move reinforces a trend that has been building through recent party congresses and leadership tussles: governors are the real power brokers in the APC. The decision also reflects Tinubu’s own instincts as a former governor who built his national profile through state-level control. By siding with governors, he strengthens a critical support base ahead of his expected re-election bid in 2027.

Sources: NaijaNews, Politics Nigeria, Forefront NG