Politics

APC may pick Ganduje’s successor at make-or-break NEC meeting

Published

11 months ago

July 23, 2025

A new National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress may emerge on Thursday during its National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja.

In June, former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, resigned as the party’s national chairman citing health issues but political analysts believe his exit from the party was tied to internal power play and strategic realignments within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Thereafter, Deputy National Chairman, Ali Dalori, was installed as the acting National Chairman of the party.

Multiple reliable party sources said key items on the meeting’s agenda include the selection of a national chairman, updates from the Constitution Review Committee, and party congresses among others.

The sources at the APC National Secretariat, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, disclosed that many party leaders were in favour of Ali Dalori continuing as the party’s acting chairman until a formal Elective Convention was held to choose a new National Working Committee members.

One of the sources added that party stakeholders, including members of the Progressives Governors Forum and the current National Working Committee, were all awaiting President Bola Tinubu’s decision on his final position on the party leadership.

The source added that former Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, were the leading contenders as the North Central region stepped up its push for the next national chairman of the party to return to its region.

Prior to Ganduje, the APC had five previous chairmen: Chief Bisi Akande (2013–2014), Chief John Oyegun (2014–2018), Adams Oshiomhole (2018–2020), Mai Mala Buni (2020–2022), and Abdullahi Adamu (2022–2023).

Article 13.3 of the amended 2022 APC Constitution grants the NEC the authority to appoint the National Chairman and establish a Caretaker Committee, among other powers.

Article 13.3 (1i and ii) states, “The National Executive Committee of the Party shall be the Principal Executive body of the Party and shall perform the following functions: summon or convene the National Convention and prepare its agenda, discharge all functions of the National Convention in between National Conventions.”

Article 13.3 (B and C) adds, “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, the National Executive Committee shall have the power to set up a Caretaker Committee in place of any organ at all levels, except the National Advisory Council and National Convention, where in its opinion there is a compelling situation warranting such action in the overriding interest of the Party.

“Any such Committee shall have a defined tenure not exceeding twelve (12) months.”

As a result, on June 30, APC Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, announced that the party’s NEC meeting would be held in Abuja on July 24 to address the selection of a National Chairman and other key issues.

Faunter said, “And during the meeting, if they so desire that a new chairman is nominated, we’ll also accept such nomination and then wait for the convention where the final position of the party will be made as far as the substantive chairman is concerned.

“So, that’s as much as I can tell you. And the date, the suggested date for the NEC meeting is the 24th of July, 2025. It’s going to be here (Abuja), on the premises of the APC.”

Lobbying

Meanwhile, one of our sources said the party leadership had informed President Tinubu and was now awaiting his guidance on the next steps.

He added that influential members of the party had started lobbying for their preferred candidates ahead of Thursday’s crucial NEC meeting, with Al-Makura, Yilwatda and interim chairman Dalori the top names.

He stated, “The NEC will hold as scheduled. Of course, a lot of issues will be discussed and resolved. The E-registration, updates from the Constitution Amendment Committee, congresses, by-elections, and the selection of a substantive National Chairman are all part of the agenda.

“It is not clear whether the NEC will announce the substantive National Chairman on Thursday, because, as we speak, some people are pushing for Dalori to continue as acting chairman until an Elective Convention brings in new NWC members at a later date. However, others are insisting that a new National Chairman should be announced on Thursday.

“So, the NEC will make that decision. Already, former Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, and the current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Professor Yilwatda, are the major names being mentioned among party leaders.

“Preparations for the NEC meeting have been concluded. The President, who is the leader of the APC, has been briefed, and everyone is now waiting for him to give a directive on how and when the National Chairman will emerge and who that will be.”

The PUNCH learnt top party leaders met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Monday but our correspondent could not confirm what was discussed. However, there are indications that discussions were centred around who became the next party chairman at Thursday’s NEC.

Tinubu, who attended the last two NEC, is expected to also join the meeting on Thursday.

Multiple party officials believe a successor to Ganduje would emerge at the NEC meeting, claiming it was at a NEC meeting that Ganduje was also named the party chairman.

Another source stated that the NEC meeting would provide clear guidance to the party regarding the National Chairman and other key matters.

He stated, “The NEC is an important organ of the party. The Thursday meeting is very crucial because it will give a clearer direction on the substantive National Chairman of the APC.

“Al-Makura, even Yilwatda and other names have been mentioned. But the NEC’s decision, along with that of the President, will shed light on everything. One thing is certain: the APC will consolidate, and it will get better.”

Attempts to reach APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, for a response were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off as at the time of filing this report.

However, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, APC Deputy Organising Secretary, Eze Duru, confirmed that the National Chairman and E-registration were part of the agenda for Thursday’s NEC meeting.

He stated, “Well, essentially, NEC is a usual meeting of the party as stipulated in the constitution of the party. We would address the issues around the E-registration to enable members register wherever they are, and then of course receive reports from the directorates of the party through the National Secretary, who will present reports of his stewardship. So, these are the major highlights of the meeting.

“Also, the issue of the substantive National Chairman is expected to be on the agenda.”

He explained that the E-registration would make it easier for Nigerians interested in joining the APC to register seamlessly.

The APC Deputy Organising Secretary added, “Yes, I would expect that the party would come out of the meeting better, stronger and sending a signal to Nigerians that we are prepared to do what is best and what is right by them, and then, of course, to position the party to give an account to the owners of the party through the NEC.

“That’s one part of what will come out of the meeting on Thursday and then also to show that we are keying into the IT space through the E-registration — to make it possible for members to be registered across board, as well as to be accountable. People will know that once you are a member of the party, wherever you are, you can be verified.”

N’Central preaches justice

In a related development, the North-Central APC Forum has called on President Tinubu and other party leaders to ensure that the position of the party’s National Chairman returned to the region during Thursday’s NEC meeting.

The appeal was made in a statement signed on Tuesday by the forum’s chairman, Saleh Zazzaga.

Zazzaga stressed that reinstating the position to the North-Central is the only fair and just decision, given the region’s historical role in the party.

“The North-Central has over the years played an important and strategic role in the progress and growth of the APC. Any decision contrary to returning the position of National Chairman to the region will amount to betrayal,” the statement read.

The forum maintained that the region rightfully deserved the position, citing the existing zoning arrangement and its significant contributions to the APC’s success.

It noted that former Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Adamu, became National Chairman in March 2022 when the position was zoned to the North-Central.

Adamu later resigned in July 2023, after which Ganduje from Kano State in the North-West took over in August 2023, before stepping down last month.

Highlighting the region’s electoral performance, the forum noted that the North-Central delivered the third-highest votes for Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.

“Among the various geopolitical zones, the North-Central has the highest number of APC governors. APC controls five of the six North-Central states — Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger. Returning the chairmanship to the region is not a favour; it is well deserved,” the statement added.

The forum also rejected calls by the All Progressives Stakeholders Forum for the extension of Dalori’s tenure as acting chairman.

It warned that allowing Dalori, from the North-East to remain in office would amount to “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

It dismissed fears that a leadership reshuffle could destabilise the party, arguing instead that appointing a chairman from the North-Central would “revitalise the APC and reinforce fairness and equity.”

“There are several capable personalities in the North-Central who can lead the party to greater heights. We appeal to President Bola Tinubu to choose any of them as National Chairman,” the forum stated.

N’West reacts

Reacting to calls by the North Central to be handed the party leadership, the party’s state chapters in Kaduna and Zamfara (North West), said the process to produce the next chairman should follow a democractic process.

The Publicity Secretary of the APC in Kaduna State, Salisu Wusono, said while the North Central demand was understandable, it should be guided by the party’s constitution and democratic principles.

“I am always compliant with the constitution of our party. So, if it is in order and in line with the constitution of our country, I don’t think there’s any problem.

“All we want is to act in accordance with democratic norms. Let us do everything we need to do base on the provisions of our party’s constitution. That’s all,” Wusono stated.

Also, the Zamfara APC Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris, said the state chapter of the party was ready to accept whoever would be the next chairman, irrespective of where he came from, provided he would work for the progress of the party.

He said, “We are not happy with the resignation of our national chairman Dr Abdullahi Ganduje but we are ready to accept whoever is going to succeed him as our new leader provided that such person would use his position to promote peaceful coexistence and progress within the party.

“We will respect the national secretariat of the party regarding the appointment of a new national chairman for our great party.”

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Politics

I am open to reconciling with Kano gov – Kwankwaso

Published

3 hours ago

June 9, 2026

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Former Kano State Governor and national leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he remains willing to forgive Governor Abba Yusuf and reconcile with him despite their political differences, insisting that his affection for his former protégé has not diminished.

Relationship between the two politicians soured after Yusuf defected from the New Nigeria People’s Party, under which he won the 2023 governorship election, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, a move that drew sharp criticism from members of the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Speaking in an interview in a video posted by BBC Hausa on Monday, Kwankwaso, who has also defected from NNPP to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, said the door to reconciliation remains open.

He stressed that Yusuf was the one who chose to leave their political fold and that he would not turn him away if he decided to return.

“I still love Abba and I didn’t reject him, he is the one that left. So not just Abba, if anyone who left comes back, I won’t be unforgiving. Look at Ganduje, in the many years we worked together, we fell out several times and got back together. That is how politics works,” he said.

Kwankwaso argued that Yusuf’s electoral victory was made possible by the strength of the movement.

“We picked Abba to contest under the NNPP and we won, but he left to join the people we defeated. Some say he did so because he feared losing his position, but he knows there was no way we would have been defeated in Kano. If that were the case, we would have lost when he contested under our party,” he stated.

The former governor further explained that the movement intentionally fielded Yusuf in 2023 to demonstrate its political influence.

“We did not choose him because he was the most senior or the most educated. We chose him because we wanted to test the strength and calibre of the Kwankwasiyya movement at that time,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of tolerance in leadership, Kwankwaso said leaders must accept differing opinions and embrace forgiveness.

“As a leader, you need to have an open heart. You cannot force people to think the way you do because we all come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives. Without forgiveness, we would not have come this far,” he added.

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Politics

Peter Obi slams Tinubu over rising debt, says N200tn borrowed without accountability

Published

4 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over what he described as excessive borrowing and poor fiscal accountability.

Obi said Nigeria’s total public debt has risen to about N200 trillion, which he attributed to what he called “imprudent governance” under the current administration.

He said the debt level represents an increase of over N100 trillion in three years, contrasting it with the approximately N49 trillion accumulated during the eight-year administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former Labour Party presidential flagbearer in the 2023 election stated this in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, saying the situation reflected a lack of accountability and transparency in the management of borrowed funds.

“President Bola Tinubu’s administration has engaged in remarkably imprudent borrowing, escalating Nigeria’s total debt to approximately N200 trillion. This represents an increase of over N100 trillion within a mere three years, a stark contrast to the roughly N49 trillion accumulated during President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, which would have projected to around N80 trillion.

“As millions of Nigerians grapple with the shock of this unsustainable debt accumulation, the situation is exacerbated by the government’s reckless approach to borrowing and a profound absence of accountability and transparency in the utilisation of these funds,” he said.

Citing figures from the Budget Office, Obi said the government borrowed N11.89 trillion in the first three quarters of 2025 (January to September), exceeding its planned borrowing target of N10.34 trillion by about N1.54 trillion.

He said such an overrun should ordinarily attract scrutiny and explanation from relevant authorities.

“Under a responsible and accountable government, such an overshoot would necessitate rigorous scrutiny and explanation from relevant governmental bodies. Regrettably, this is not the reality under the current administration,” he said.

Obi further claimed that only N3.10 trillion of the borrowed funds was allocated to capital expenditure during the January–September 2025 period, representing 17.66 per cent of the N17.58 trillion earmarked for capital projects, leaving a funding gap of about N14.48 trillion.

He questioned how the remaining funds were utilised.

“The most disturbing aspect of the financial management fiasco under Bola Tinubu is that there is no explanation or information regarding how the balance was utilised or deployed.

“The question that Nigerians are rightly asking and deserve an answer to is what happened to the balance? Was it deployed for recurrent expenditure/consumption, for the entertainment of guests to Aso Rock or transferred to the Renewed Hope Agenda 2027 Election Campaign Fund?

“Nigerians deserve an answer on how our economy and resources are most unpatriotically managed,” he said.

Nigeria has faced mounting debt pressures since the Tinubu administration’s major reforms began in mid-2023, including the removal of long-standing fuel subsidies and unification of the foreign exchange market.

These moves aimed to correct fiscal distortions but triggered immediate inflation spikes, naira volatility, and higher living costs, while increasing the local-currency burden of debt servicing.

Tinubu had disclosed in May 2026 that Nigeria plans to spend about $11.6 billion on debt servicing in 2026.

While supporters of the government argue that borrowings support critical infrastructure, critics warn of a debt without growth trap.

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Politics

ADC alleges PVC mop-up, fake Amotekun plot

Published

13 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dare Bejide, on Monday, alleged mop-up of Permanent Voter Cards in parts of the state by some agents who he said were illegally collecting the document.

The Director, Communications, Media and Publicity, Amb Dare Bejide Campaign Organisation, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, said the perpetrators, who he identified as All Progressives Congress agents, wanted to use the cards for sinister purposes, as he appealed to residents not to succumb to such.

Aribisogan also alleged at a press briefing in Ado Ekiti that some political thugs were being kitted in fake Amotekun Security Network uniforms, adding that “the individuals are being trained and mobilised to intimidate voters, snatch ballot boxes and attack polling agents on election day.”

The ADC campaign spokesperson, who said the impersonation of Amotekun operatives was a deliberate plot to confuse voters and discredit a regional security outfit that Ekiti people trusted.

He called on the Ekiti Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig Gen Olu Adewa (retd) and the police “to immediately identify and arrest anyone found wearing an Amotekun uniform without authorisation.”

Aribisogan said, “Across several local government areas in Ekiti, our party has documented a pattern where agents and foot soldiers of the APC are moving from house to house and polling units demanding the collection of PVCs and National Identification Numbers from voters.

“They promised cash, food items, or welfare support in exchange. This is a direct violation of Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022, which prohibits voter inducement and the seizure of voter cards.

“The aim is clear – disenfranchise citizens, harvest PVCs, and use them for thumb-printing and multiple voting on election day. No citizen should surrender their PVC or NIN to any political party agent. Your PVC is your power. Once you give it up, you give up your voice.”

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a public warning against PVC and NIN harvesting and to deploy its monitoring teams to flashpoints immediately.

“We use this medium to tell Ekiti people not to be intimidated. Do not surrender your PVC or NIN. Do not be cowed by thugs in borrowed uniforms. Your vote is your right, and it is your power. Come out on election day, vote and protect your vote,” Aribisogan stated.

But the APC state Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, who spoke in a telephone interview, said the ADC members had only displayed their ignorance once again with their allegations.

Dipe, who said advanced technology had made use of another person’s PVC impossible, queried what APC would want to do with anybody’s voter card.

“The ADC have run out of what to say, and they are only displaying their ignorance. Nobody is mopping up PVCs.

“We will pardon their ignorance if they think that you can collect anybody’s PVC. Why can’t they collect another person’s PVC and see how useful or useless it is? So we are pardoning their ignorance,” he said.

The APC spokesperson, who also dismissed the allegation of kitting thugs in Amotekun outfits, said, “Amotekun is the project of the APC government. It is not the project of any other person. So why would we get fake Amotekun when we can recruit as many people into Amotekun?

“The duty of Amotekun is different. Amotekun is to ensure that people are not kidnapped; they go into the bushes. Are we kitting fake people to go into the bushes? So again, we pardon their ignorance for not knowing the roles and functions of Amotekun.”

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