The North-Central APC Forum has called on President Bola Tinubu to make sure that the party elects reputable national officers in advance of the All Progressives Congress, or APC, national convention.
The dates of the 2026 APC national conference are set for March 27–28. The National Working Committee (NWC) will be formed by national officers of the party, who will be chosen during the convention.
Nonetheless, 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 choose eminent individuals with experience and a track record to fill all NWC positions, including national chairman.
The Forum demanded that Tinubu lead a “vetting process” to guarantee that only individuals with the necessary qualifications are chosen to lead the APC’s operations at the convention.
The Forum claims 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 emphasised that having competent leadership to manage the party’s operations 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 genuine national leadership at the upcoming national convention.
Since the APC has many well-known politicians who have served and are now serving at the highest levels of government, we think this goal is extremely vital. We think it should be unavoidable to choose the best candidates from such a prestigious pool of political leaders.
We implore Mr. President to lead the screening procedure that will guarantee that the appropriate individuals are elected as our party’s national officers since there should be no justification for failing to get it right at the national convention.
Prominent 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 message read, “We don’t want people who will commercialize the party by only looking out for their own interests.”
Additionally, the APC Forum emphasized that choosing the party’s national chairman shouldn’t be primarily based on academic credentials. According to the North-Central APC Forum, political acumen and ability are more crucial attributes.
The Forum insisted on competence, stating that candidates who had previously failed to deliver their local governments, wards, and polling places for the party should not be taken into consideration.
The APC Forum said that religious emotion should be abandoned as well.
“Leading APC is not about using proper grammar or having a long academic background. We are urging Mr. President to ensure that only those with a track record of success, who are of the appropriate age and experience, are elected as APC national officers because it is simply a matter of capacity to perform.
Furthermore, we recommend that the national chairman of the APC be elected at the national convention without regard to religious beliefs. 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 that he is speaking for Christians, Muslims, or followers of traditional religions.
“Mr. President needs to make sure that the national chairman doesn’t 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 Nigeria’s interests above all.”
