The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has released the names of its senatorial candidates for the 2027 general elections across several states of the federation, with only two women making the list so far.
The development has already sparked conversations within political circles over gender representation in the party’s senatorial lineup ahead of the elections.
Among the female candidates named by the APC are Kene Chiedu Ngozi Benedicta for Anambra Central Senatorial District, Idiat Adebule — Lagos West and Muheebah Dankaka for Kwara South Senatorial District.
The list, obtained on Friday, showed that several serving and former governors, ex-ministers, lawmakers and influential political figures secured the party’s tickets across the various senatorial districts.
Prominent names on the list include former Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu for Abia North; Senate President Godswill Akpabio for Akwa Ibom North-West; former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for Delta North; former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole for Edo North; and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello for Kogi Central.
Also on the list are Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma for Imo West; Kano Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau for Kano North; former Kano governor, Ibrahim Shekarau for Kano Central; and former Kaduna governor, Ramalan Yero for Kaduna North.
Others include former Sokoto governor, Aliyu Wamakko for Sokoto Central; former Yobe governor, Mai Mala Buni for Yobe East; and former Senate President Ahmad Lawan for Yobe North.
The APC senatorial candidates released so far are:
ABIA
Orji Uzor Kalu — Abia North
Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jr — Abia South
Emeka Atuma — Abia Central
ADAMAWA
Umaru Fintiri — Adamawa North
Felix Tangwami — Adamawa South
AKWA IBOM
Godswill Akpabio — Akwa Ibom North-West
Aniekan Bassey — Akwa Ibom North-East
Ekong Sampson — Akwa Ibom South
ANAMBRA
Nelson Onubuogu — Anambra North
Kene Chiedu Ngozi Benedicta — Anambra Central (Female)
Chibuogu Oraelusi — Anambra South
BAUCHI
Yakubu Abdullahi — Bauchi South
Ibrahim Baba — Bauchi North
BAYELSA
Fidelis Agbiki — Bayelsa West
Friday Kombowei Benson — Bayelsa Central
Israel Sunny-Goli — Bayelsa East
BENUE
Dave Padopads-Awunah — Benue North-West
Gabriel Suswam — Benue North-East
Francis Agbo — Benue South
BORNO
Kaka Shehu — Borno Central
Ali Ndume — Borno South
Tahir Monguno — Borno North
CROSS RIVER
Jarigbe Jarigbe — Cross River North
Oden Ewa — Cross River Central
Asuquo Ekpenyong — Cross River South
DELTA
Ede Dafinone — Delta Central
Ifeanyi Okowa — Delta North
Joel-Onowakpo Thomas — Delta South
EDO
Adams Oshiomhole — Edo North
Joseph Ikpea — Edo Central
Ogbeide-Ihama Omoregie — Edo South
EKITI
Opeyemi Bamidele — Ekiti Central
Cyril Fasuyi — Ekiti North
Yemi Adaramodu — Ekiti South
ENUGU
Osita Ngwu — Enugu West
Kelvin Chukwu — Enugu East
Ikeje Asogwa — Enugu North
GOMBE
Inuwa Yahaya — Gombe North
Mohammed Ahmed — Gombe Central
Jerry Damara — Gombe South
IMO
Alex Mbata — Imo East
Hope Uzodimma — Imo West
Patrick Ndubueze — Imo North
JIGAWA
Babangida Hussain — Jigawa North-West
Ahmed Malam Madori — Jigawa North-East
Sani Garba — Jigawa South-West
KADUNA
Ramalan Yero — Kaduna North
Shehu Sani — Kaduna Central
Sunday Katung — Kaduna South
KANO
Jibrin Barau — Kano North
Ibrahim Shekarau — Kano Central
Abdulrahman Kawu — Kano South
KATSINA
Mutari Dandutse — Katsina South
Nasir Daura — Katsina North
Abdulaziz Yar’Adua — Katsina Central
KEBBI
Adamu Aliero — Kebbi Central
Yahaya Abdullahi — Kebbi North
Jafar Gajere — Kebbi South
KOGI
Joseph Erico — Kogi East
Yahaya Bello — Kogi Central
KWARA
Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq — Kwara Central
Sadiq Umar — Kwara North
Muheebah Dankaka — Kwara South (Female)
LAGOS
Wasiu Eshinlokun — Lagos Central
Idiat Adebule — Lagos West (Female)
Tokunbo Abiru — Lagos East
NASARAWA
Abdullahi Sule — Nasarawa North
Faisal Shuaib — Nasarawa West
NIGER
Idris Kutigi — Niger South
Sani Musa — Niger East
Sani Bello — Niger North
OGUN
Dapo Abiodun — Ogun East
Jimoh Ojugbele — Ogun West
Shuaib Salisu — Ogun Central
ONDO
Gbenga Elegbeleye — Ondo North
Taiwo Fasoranti — Ondo Central
Isaacs Kekemeke — Ondo South
OSUN
Francis Fadahunsi — Osun East
Adekunle Adeogoke — Osun Central
Akintunde Oyebiyi — Osun West
OYO
Remi Oseni — Oyo South
Yunusi Akintunde — Oyo Central
PLATEAU
David Barji — Plateau Central
Simon Lalong — Plateau South
Simon Mwadkwon — Plateau North
RIVERS
Felix Obuah — Rivers West
Allwell Onyesoh — Rivers East
Barry Mwara — Rivers South-East
SOKOTO
Aliyu Wamakko — Sokoto Central
Umaru Ajiya — Sokoto East
Ibrahim Danbaba — Sokoto South
TARABA
Manu Haruna — Taraba Central
David Jimkuta — Taraba South
YOBE
Mai Mala Buni — Yobe East
Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan — Yobe North
Ibrahim Bomai — Yobe South
ZAMFARA
Abdulaziz Yari — Zamfara West
Ikra Bilbis — Zamfara Central
Sahabi Ya’u — Zamfara North
FCT
Philip Aduda — Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
The party noted that senatorial districts not listed were either pending, inconclusive, or yet to conduct primaries due to internal disputes, zoning disagreements, logistical challenges and postponements.
According to the report by TheCable, more names are expected to emerge in the coming days as the APC concludes outstanding primary elections across the country.
