With the commencement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention on Friday, developments within the party appear to be consolidating ahead of the forthcoming primaries, suggesting a tightening of influence around the party’s leadership structure.
According to Daily Trust, party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, are scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take place between 23 April and 30 May 2026.
At the 8th National Convention holding in Abuja, with over 8,000 delegates in attendance, expectations are that the composition of the National Working Committee (NWC) may largely remain unchanged, despite earlier assumptions that the gathering would usher in a new set of leadership.
Although initial projections pointed toward a significant restructuring of the party’s national leadership, the process leading up to the convention has been shaped by internal negotiations, alignments, and differing interests since the release of the guidelines.
Reports indicate that current members of the NWC have secured backing linked to the Presidency to retain their positions, a situation that has generated concerns and objections from some aspirants who had hoped for openings in the party’s leadership hierarchy.
In recent years, the party has also recorded a notable increase in its political base, following the defection of several governors and federal lawmakers, a development that has strengthened its numerical and political standing.
However, the evolving structure of the party’s leadership has raised questions among some of the newly joined stakeholders. Sources suggest that the traditional influence previously exercised by state governors in determining key party appointments, especially in zones allocated to their states, may no longer carry the same weight under the current arrangement.
Some governors were reportedly interested in positioning allies for strategic roles within the party’s national secretariat but have encountered limited success in doing so.
For instance, efforts attributed to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to influence the appointment of a preferred candidate into the role of national publicity secretary were said to have not yielded the desired outcome at the time of reporting.
There are also indications that several governors who joined the party after the current administration’s inauguration have expressed dissatisfaction with the emerging structure, particularly as it appears to offer them limited leverage within the national leadership framework.
Observers note that if the present configuration is maintained, many of the new entrants into the party may not have representatives or close allies occupying key positions at the national level.
Among those referenced in this context are governors from Delta, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Bayelsa, Rivers, Adamawa, and Akwa Ibom states, whose influence within the national party structure is perceived to be minimal under the current alignment.
Analysts suggest that the prevailing arrangement could result in a party leadership whose loyalty is primarily aligned with the central authority, thereby reducing the influence of both newly defected governors and long-standing stakeholders within internal party decision-making.
There have also been unconfirmed claims surrounding the distribution of nomination forms during the build-up to the convention, with suggestions that initial limitations in the availability of forms may have been intended to favour incumbent officeholders. However, it was further reported that subsequent concerns raised by some party members led to adjustments, including the production of additional forms to accommodate wider participation.
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