March 02, (THEWILL) – After severally postponing its National Caucus and National Executive Committee meeting amid growing concern for direction in the party, the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, finally convened meetings of its two respected organs on February 25 and 26, 2025, respectively.
The meetings were postponed last November and since then the party has been reeling from crisis of leadership, accusations of anti-party activities, succession and post-elections issues in some state chapters. These high-level gatherings took place at the Presidential Villa and the party’s National Secretariat on 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja.
In attendance at these exclusive gatherings were key stakeholders, including past and present Presidents, Vice Presidents, governors, National Assembly members and other leaders from across the states. But ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan, as well as former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai and his Ekiti counterpart, Kayode Fayemi, including former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi were noticeably absent. Buhari’s adie, Garba Shehu however explained that his principal’s absence was not deliberate.
He said the former president received his invitation a day to the event and could not plan for it. El-Rufai had told Arise TV during an interview that he was yet to receive any invitation two days to the event, which he decried because, according to him, members of the NEC ought to be given a 21- day notice before the occasion. National Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Basiru said Osinbajo and Fayemi sent in their apologies for their inability to attend and pledged their loyalty to the party.
Nevertheless, the NEC as the highest decision making organ of the party, expectedly discuss party policies, future elections, and other burning national issues. The meetings featured a high-powered attendance list, including the National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman (North and South), National Secretary, National Legal Adviser, National Treasurer, Organising Secretary, Woman Leader, Youth Leader, and representatives from each geo-political zone.
At the NEC meeting last Tuesday, President Tinubu was given a vote of confidence by the party. The motion for the confidence vote was moved by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and he was seconded by former Edo State governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole. An elated Tinubu thanked members of the party for their support for his administration.
He said, ”I have heard your various remarks on how we have strengthened the security of our country and food security in the country. I am grateful to all Nigerians for the electoral successes that we have from one state to another and I am also happy for the various people joining us in the National Assembly.
“On the economy, I am happy the food prices are going down particularly during this Ramadan period. I thank the leadership of our party. Let the NEC find a way to celebrate our progressive ideals. And I promise you our governors and Nigerians that we will sustain these progressive changes. I am very happy and I promise not to let any of you down.
Earlier, National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, while presenting his scorecards, counted among his achievements, reconciliation drive, the e-membership register and the establishment of the Progressives Institute, which he described as an independent, self-sustaining global standard institute, which will serve as the official Think-Tank and intellectual Resource Centre of the party.
Even so on the table for critical action in the days ahead would be crisis in seven states, namely Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers and Osun and who succeeds National Chairman, a seat the North Central zone of the party has been call attention since former Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje was appointed to succeed Senator Abdullahi Adamu who resigned in July 2023 after the general elections held in that year.
Fortunately for him, the NEC ratified zoning of the office to the North West zone. Ganduje is from Kano State. In the states, the crisis has been lingering to the point that Ministers are embarrassed with suspension orders by wards, which the National Working Committee, NCW, had to vacate.
An example is Bayelsa where Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lopkobiri and ex-governorship aspirant on the platform of the party, David Lyon clashed over denial of the governorship ticket to the latter in 2023 that his predecessor, Timipre Sylva won. The crisis made it hard for the party to present a united front in the governorship poll, leading eventually to the suspension of some chieftains of the party in the state including Lyon and Lokpobiri.
In Delta, the leadership crisis is about to be resolved following the defection of Senator Ned Nwoko from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the APC last month. The immediate impact of his defection was the validation of the leadership of Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development after an adhoc Committee led by Olorogun O’tega Emerhor rejected the leadership claims of former Deputy Senate Ovie Omo Agege by virtue of having lost his national standing as an appointed or elected member. Keyamo sealed his leadership in the state when he led a delegation from the state to present Senator Nwoko to the National Chairman, Ganduje and his NWC team in Abuja.
In Osun, the lingering differences between Minister of Marina and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola and ex-Governor of the State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola finally took its toll with the former Interior Minister resigning from the party alongside his political group in the state, Omoluabi Progressives. His exit has polarised the party in the state, and has compounded the party’s misfortunes following its loss of the governorship in 2022 and the National Assembly positions in the 2023 general election.
In Benue, Senator Gabriel Suswan, Senator Barnabas Gemande are said to be at ‘war’with Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. The latter reportedly warned the governor to be wary of the ‘friendship’ of both senators.
In Lagos State, the lingering Assembly leadership crisis has currently polarized the party in the state.
In Rivers State, the party is factionalised into two groups led by former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi with Emeka Beke as his chairman and another group led by Tony Okocha. Both have been using the law courts to legitimise their positions though the NWC often leans towards the Okocah faction, particularly since Amaechi’s perceived anti-Tinubu administration’s stand.
The Governor Uba Sani and his predecessor, Nasir el-Rufai are locked in supremacy battle over allegations of corruption during the latters’ administration.
The Kano State chapter of the party erupted in crisis a few days after the party’s NEC and National Caucus meeting. This happened when the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Atta, openly rejected the party’s state chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, who was handpicked by Ganduje
Atta’s strong opposition emerged during a Fagge APC Caucus meeting in Kano, where he warned that the APC risked another political defeat in the state if Abbas remained at the helm, arguing that his continued leadership would weaken the party’s chances of reclaiming Kano from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
He accused the APC leadership of failing to recognize divine authority in politics. He declared that the party lost the 2023 gubernatorial election not because of the opposition’s strength, but because it had “challenged God.” “We are making it clear to everyone: if they bring him [Abbas] back, we will leave. The party will surely fail again. We are not with such people, and no matter what happens, we will not align with them,” Atta thundered.
Since its defeat in the governorship and nine National Assembly positions in the 2023 general election in Adamawa State, the party has lost the loyalty of many members who operate indifferent camps. Nevertheless, the governing party has been harvesting defectors from both the main opposition PDP and the Labour party both at the National Assembly and general members across states in the country.
“Through dialogue, we have initiated high level discussions among party leaders and other stakeholders with a view to resolving lingering differences between our members,” Ganduje said after the occasion.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
