The excitement that followed the conclusion of party primaries across Nigeria is gradually giving way to a familiar political reality—reconciliation meetings, court cases, defections, renewed alliances and lingering grievances over the outcome of some contests. While political parties have produced their candidates and submitted their names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the bigger challenge now is uniting party members ahead of the general election.
For many parties, winning the primaries was only the first hurdle. The next task is rebuilding trust among aggrieved aspirants and their supporters, some of whom have questioned delegate selection, consensus arrangements and other internal processes. In several states, disputes have triggered protests, defections and legal battles, making party cohesion a key factor in determining electoral success.
The post-primary challenge cuts across major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Accord Party, All Progressives Movement (APM) and newer platforms such as the National Democratic Coalition (NDC). While some parties have successfully reconciled aggrieved members, others continue to battle internal divisions that could affect their campaigns.
Political analysts believe the coming weeks will test each party's ability to close ranks before campaigns gather full momentum. With Nigerians increasingly focused on issues such as the economy, insecurity, education, healthcare, infrastructure and job creation, parties will be expected to move beyond internal disputes and convince voters they possess the unity, credibility and capacity to deliver effective governance.