2027: APC Supporters Protest  against Reps Ugbor’s Candidature

….Urges NEC To Respect Outcome Of Party Primaries

….I Emerged Through Party Due Process- Ugbor Tells Protesters 

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

Groups and other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across Ushongo and Kwande Local Government Areas, have carried out a peaceful protest in Lessel, the headquarters of Ushongo LGA, demanding the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to respect the outcome of the House of Representatives primary election conducted in 16th  May, 2026 for the Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency seat.

During the primary election, Kohol was said to have been declared the winner and emerged candidate for Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency  after scoring  40, 672 votes to beat five other aspirants  including the incumbent, Rep Terseer Ugbor, who polled 750 votes.

The protesters came out to register their grievances over reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Nomination Forms had been presented to Rep Ugbor, the incumbent whom they said was not voted for.”

The demonstrators carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “Give Us Back Our Mandate. Reps is for Ushongo. “We Didn’t Vote Terseer Ugbor, We Voted Kohol.” “Tinubu, Save Our Democracy.”

 “We Can’t Vote for Someone Else and Another is Announced.” “Direct Primaries? Indirect Primaries? Consensus? How Did Terseer Ugbor Emerge?” “20 Years of Reps in Kwande is unfair.” “Ushongo deserves it this time,” amongst several other inscriptions.

The protesters predominantly APC members, including Comrade Ken Kaase, Aondolumun Ordorugh, and Fidelis from Mbakuha, demanded the APC leadership to protect the integrity of its internal democratic processes and ensure that the votes of party members during the party primaries are respected. 

They argued that the decision of party members should not be disregarded, and especially not in a constituency where retaining the House of Reps seat in Kwande seems too unfair to the Ushongo people who haven’t occupied the seat for 16 years. 

The protesters warned that imposing a candidate contrary to the wishes of party members could create disaffection, weaken party unity, and diminish the APC’s electoral strength in the Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections. 

The protesters marched to the Ushongo Local Government Council Secretariat and the Chairman’s lodge, where they were received by the Executive Chairman of the Council, Terkimbir Adzu.

Adzu acknowledged the concerns raised by the protesters and assured that their grievances would be communicated to the governor.

While expressing hope that the candidate who emerged through the democratic process would ultimately be recognised, the Chairman commended the protesters for conducting themselves peacefully and orderly throughout the protest.

Meanwhile, the incumbent member of the House of Representatives for Kwande/Ushongo federal constituency, Terseer Ugbor, stated that he emerged victorious at the end of the primaries through party due processes.

He explained that Immediately after the purported declaration of the primary election results, formally rejected the outcome and lodged a petition before the APC Appeal Committee, citing widespread irregularities, including alleged falsification of figures.

Ugbor further stated that after the exercise, he raised alarm intimating the public that the announcement of that results did not reflect accredited APC members, while there was intimidation of agents, disappearance of election materials, and the conduct of parts of the process under questionable circumstances late into the night.

 He added those grievances were duly considered through the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism established by the National Working Committee (NWC).

The federal lawmaker in a statement on Thursday in Makurdi, insisted that following the review of the petitions and evidence presented, the appropriate organs of the party reached their decision, recognising him as the rightful APC candidate for the Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency. 

He added that the decision was taken by the party in line with its constitutional processes and should be respected by all members, stressing that, any attempt to portray him as a candidate imposed against the will of party members are therefore false, mischievous and intended to mislead the public.

It is also politically unrealistic to suggest that Mr. Kohol Iornem, a New Nigeria People’s Party candidate who suffered humiliating defeat against the incumbent in the previous general election could suddenly command overwhelming support over a serving lawmaker with a proven record of performance.