Ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), there are indications that the party is yet to agree on where to pick its national chairman from. Credible sources said the party is waiting to hear from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his preference, but stakeholders have narrowed the jostling to the North Central and North West geopolitical zones for some obvious reasons.
Following the resignation of former Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, as national chairman of the party, some party faithful are pushing for the retention of the position in the North West, even in interim capacity until the national convention when a substantive chairman will be elected.The clamour, according to sources within the party, is in order not to exhume the controversy over zoning within the party, curtail fresh issues thrown up by the exit of Ganduje and to manage the ensuing internal agitations.
Part of the measures being thrown up by those behind the clamour is to allow the North West retain the position to give the impression of continuity of the Ganduje chairmanship.
One of their reasons, it was learnt, is the voter strength of the region which no presidential candidate can ignore. One of the sources also said the move is meant to avoid hurting APC members from the North West who may feel sidelined if the position is taken away from them, and at the same time, not to displease party members from the North Central zone who believe they are entitled to the seat per the party’s zoning arrangement.
Before the exit of Ganduje, it appeared most party leaders and members had accepted the arrangement that the North West retains the seat since the exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, but the vacancy created by the resignation of Ganduje has ignited fresh agitations.
But another source said the final decision will come from President Tinubu, who will ultimately endorse someone that he feels will be loyal to him ahead of the 2027 general election.
Recall that Ganduje threw in the towel on June 27, 2025, on grounds of ill-health, according to a letter he transmitted to the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru.
In the letter, the former chairman cited the need for him to have ample time to take care of his health. But sources within the party had hinted that political maneuvering and scheming within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections prompted his exit. The deputy national chairman (North), Ali Bukar Dalori, has since replaced Ganduje, in an acting capacity.
While some party chieftains believe it would not be wrong to allow Dalori on the saddle, others say the arrangement would distance both the North Central and North West from serious party decisions.
Two weeks after Ganduje’s exit, names of APC bigwigs from the North Central and North West have sprung up for the chairmanship. So far, the majority of APC bigwigs eyeing the chairmanship slot are from the North Central while only one major contender is reportedly from the North West where Ganduje hails from.
According to sources, those eyeing the seat from the North Central are former governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura; former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello; incumbent Senator for Niger East, Sani Musa; former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, Senator Solomon Ewuga from Nasarawa State and Senator Salihu Mustapha from Kwara State.
However, sources close to most of them said each of the potential candidates is “waiting for the green light from Mr President.”
A source said, “Honestly, my principal would have granted you the interview you want, but then, he is being circumspect not to overreach the goodwill he has in the eyes of the president and party leaders.
“And I believe it is the same situation with other candidates. They want those who hold the levers of power to ask them to come forth but certainly, the next party chairman will come from the North Central or North West,” he said.
Meanwhile, the name of Senator Abu Ibrahim from Katsina State has popped up and appears to be the only person from the North West region.
Credible sources said Senator Abu Ibrahim, who had won election to the Senate four times before he voluntarily stepped aside, is a close ally of President Tinubu and is being tipped to replace Ganduje. But Senator Ibrahim said no one had contacted him on the matter.
It was gathered that party leaders from the region were not pleased with the abrupt exit of Ganduje as national chairman and were agitating to retain the position.
A week ago, leaders of the APC in Kano State failed to welcome Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was in Kano to condole with the family of the late business mogul and elder statesman, Aminu Dantata, who died recently. While officials of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) led government in the state were on ground to welcome the Vice President, officials and leaders of the APC were absent at the event, thus, sparking debate in the polity. Political pundits said the action was a deliberate move to express their anger over the abrupt exit of Ganduje, a former governor of the state who still commands respect and political influence to a large extent in the state. But state secretary of the APC, Ibrahim Zakari Sarina, had dismissed the claim of boycott, saying the absence of party leaders during Shettima’s visit was “purely due to miscommunication.”
Observers said the move to pick Senator Ibrahim as Ganduje’s replacement is meant to appease APC stakeholders in the region considering its strategic nature in the political scheme, especially as it has seven states and the majority of votes when it comes to elections.
Senator Abu Ibrahim, a prominent figure in Katsina politics played a pivotal role in the pro-democracy movements of the 1990s alongside Tinubu. Their shared history of sacrifice and resilience during the military era stood as a symbol of steadfast commitment to democratic ideals. During his visit to Katsina State recently, Tinubu paid glowing tribute to Senator Ibrahim whom he described as a trusted political ally and long-time associate.
It was gathered that the body language of President Tinubu concerning the potential choice of Senator Ibrahim led to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who is from the North Central, backing out of the race.
A source at the APC national secretariat said the main issue is about the religion of who emerges.
He said there were concerns that since President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, are both Muslims and the immediate past chairman (Ganduje) was equally a Muslim, a Christian should be picked this time to fill the position of chairman.
CONTENDERS
Al-Makura
He is a former governor of Nasarawa State and member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the legacy parties that merged to form the APC in 2013. Al-Makura was one of those who contested the party’s chairmanship during the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. However, the president picked Adamu as his preferred candidate, compelling others including Al-Makura to step down. He was the lone CPC governor in 2011. He is contesting that the CPC bloc in the APC has never taken a shot at the chairmanship of the party since its inception in 2013.
Yahaya Bello
He is a former governor of Kogi State. He ran the state from 2016 to 2024. When Ganduje assumed office as APC national chairman, Yahaya Bello was also said to be interested in the position. His posters also appeared in many strategic locations at the time for the party’s national chairmanship. But at the heat of the controversies, Bello dismissed his desire to contest the chairmanship.
Musa
He is the current senator representing Niger East at the National Assembly. He is also the chairman, Senate committee on Finance. He contested the party’s chairmanship prior to the expiration of the timeline of the Governor Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee in 2023 but he couldn’t make it, as President Buhari had picked Adamu as his preferred candidate for the job and requested other contenders to step down. Sani Musa’s posters are already in strategic locations.
Dariye
Joshua Dariye is former governor of Plateau State. He also represented Plateau Central at the National Assembly.Recently, the North Central APC Democratic Alliance threw its weight behind Dariye, describing him as the ideal candidate to unify and reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. There are reports that Dariye will also throw his hat into the ring.
Ewuga
Senator Solomon Ewuga is former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He also represented Nasarawa North in the 7th National Assembly. Ewuga, a former deputy governor of Nasarawa State, had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC alongside members of other political parties in 2024, and was received by Ganduje into the party.
