National Convention: APC Forum Urges Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Ensure Credible Election of National Officers

The North-Central APC Forum has encouraged President Bola Tinubu to make sure that the party elects reputable national officers ahead of the All Progressives Congress, or APC, national convention.

The dates of the APC national convention are set for March 27–28, 2026. At the convention, national officers of the party will be chosen to form the National Working Committee, or NWC.

However, the North-Central APC Forum said in a statement signed by its chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, on Thursday that the party must start consultations to elect notable individuals with experience and track records to fill all NWC positions, including national chairman.

The Forum urged Tinubu to lead a “vetting process” that would guarantee that only individuals with the necessary qualifications are chosen to lead the APC’s operations at the convention.

The Forum believes that “a proper APC national chairman should be somebody whose age accords him the status of a statesman, not an inexperienced fellow who has not acquired the experience to manage the affairs of a political party with so many prominent, distinguished personalities.”

The Forum emphasized that having competent leadership to manage the party’s business is now a must due to the APC’s explosive development after a number of opposition governors switched to the party with their structures.

President Bola Tinubu is being urged by the North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum to make sure that the party elects a trustworthy national leader at the upcoming national convention.

Since the APC has many well-known politicians who have served and continue to serve at the highest levels of government, we think this goal is crucial. We think it should be unavoidable to elect the best candidates from such a prestigious group of political leaders.

“There should be no justification for failing to do it correctly at the national convention, which is why we implore Mr. President to lead the screening procedure to guarantee that the appropriate individuals are elected as our party’s national executives.

Eminent individuals who possess the necessary attributes—such as age, prior leadership experience, track record, national acceptability, extensive and efficient network, and resources—should make up the APC’s credible leadership.

“We implore Mr. President to make sure that all of the National Working Committee’s (NWC) slots are filled by qualified candidates. The statement stated, “We don’t want people who will commercialize the party by only looking out for their personal interests.”

The APC Forum also emphasized that choosing the party’s national leader shouldn’t be primarily based on academic credentials. The North-Central APC Forum stated that political acumen and ability are more crucial attributes.

The Forum insisted on competence, stating that candidates who had previously failed to secure their local governments, wards, and polling places for the party should not be taken into consideration.

The APC Forum said that religious emotion ought to be abandoned as well.

It doesn’t matter how long your academic credentials are or how well you speak grammar to lead APC. We are urging Mr. President to ensure that only individuals with a track record of success, who are of the appropriate age and experience, are elected as APC national officers. This is because it all comes down to capacity to perform.

Additionally, we recommend that at the national convention, religious factors not be taken into account when choosing the APC’s national chairman. Since Nigeria is a secular society, it is crucial that the national chairman of the APC not be someone who is known to have strong religious beliefs or who believes he is speaking for Christians, Muslims, or followers of traditional religions.

“Mr. President, make sure that the national chairman does not prioritize religion. The statement went on, “The national chairman should be someone who is not sectional, who identifies with people of all faiths and ethnicities, and who will put the interests of Nigeria above all.”