There is growing anxiety in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the prospects of a tenure extension for the party’s executive committees across the board.
This comes as the conduct of congresses and the national convention of the party inch towards the December deadline.
It was gathered that party stakeholders are anxious about what direction President Bola Tinubu intends to take regarding the leadership structures at all levels ahead of the 2027 election.
However, the party’s governors have assured that there is no cause for concern, as party leaders will deliberate on the issue at the right time.
The chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, told LEADERSHIP through his media aide that the APC functions as a united family and will protect the interests and aspirations of Nigerians at the state and national levels.
Meanwhile, the APC national spokesman, Felix Morka, did not respond to inquiries by LEADERSHIP on the matter as of press time.
Recall that the APC conducted its last ward, local government, and state congresses in 2021, while its national convention, which produced Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Iyiola Omisore as national chairman and national secretary respectively, was held in March 2022.
However, indications have emerged that the tenure of the current National Working Committee (NWC), alongside those of the state, local government, and ward executives, may be extended beyond the 2027 general elections.
This is in spite of a recent declaration by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) that it will soon release the timetable for the party’s congresses across the country.
A top party source hinted that the extension move is being considered to avert internal disputes and litigation that could destabilise the party ahead of next year’s primaries.
But the proposed tenure elongation is said to be unsettling some APC governors, particularly those who inherited existing party structures from their predecessors.
It was learnt that they fear the arrangement could strengthen the hold of executives loyal to rival factions and complicate their efforts to control delegate selections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It was learnt that one of the options being weighed is to retain the current executives through a motion at the forthcoming convention.
The source, however, noted that the party leadership awaits the position of President Tinubu.
“You know all pressures have always been on us at the NWC level, and it does appear that most of the pressure to take total control of the structures across the board has always been coming from the state governors.
“It is more so because we know who we have as president; he is a politically active and strategic man who believes that planning ahead means a lot in politics.
“However, he has been silent about whether or not there would be congresses.
“So far, it seems the president’s body language tilts towards retaining the existing structures; it seems doubtful that there will be elective congresses and a national convention across the board except for a few exceptions,” the source said.
The source added that the plan may include moving a motion during the convention to retain all executives from the national to the ward level until after the 2027 elections.
The source further added that the decision is largely informed by lessons from the 2019 general elections, when internal crises emanating from congresses led to the loss of Zamfara State and the exclusion of APC candidates from the Rivers State ballot.
“The President is aware that some aggrieved former APC leaders, now in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), still have loyalists within the fold who could instigate crises if congresses are held,” the source disclosed.
It will be recalled that at its last National Executive Committee meeting in July, the APC extended the tenure of its Ward, Local Government, and State Executive Committees across Nigeria until 31 December 2025.
This key resolution was taken at the high-powered meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, with Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC governors, national officers, and lawmakers in attendance.
The extension, according to party insiders, aims to ensure stability at the grassroots level and allow the party sufficient time to restructure and reconcile internal factions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It will be recalled that after the 2023 general election, Adamu and Omisore resigned as national chairman and national secretary respectively, paving the way for former Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and Senator Ajibola Bashiru to take their positions.
Two years later, Ganduje resigned his position on health grounds. On 24 July 2025, former Plateau State governorship candidate, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, was picked as Ganduje’s replacement and adopted by the party’s NEC.
The ruling party has witnessed relative stability since the 2022 convention, a departure from the tension-ridden 2018 congresses that contributed to the APC’s electoral setbacks in Zamfara and Rivers States during the 2019 polls.
“We’ll deliberate on the tenure issue at the appropriate time” – Uzodimma
However, Imo State governor, Uzodimma, said the APC operates as a united family which aims to protect the interests and aspirations of Nigerians at the state and national levels.
He submitted that the tenure of the incumbent party executives will be deliberated by the party leadership.
Uzodimma spoke to LEADERSHIP through his chief press secretary, Hon. Oguwuike Nwachuku, saying that at the appropriate time, party leaders will meet and deliberate on the best way forward regarding the tenure of the present executives of the party.
“As a responsible and responsive party, we believe in mutual dialogue; this issue will be deliberated on appropriately. Be rest assured, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it,” he said.
APC Commences Constitutional Amendment Process
Meanwhile, the APC has commenced a nationwide constitutional review process in Calabar, Cross River State, focusing on promoting inclusivity, equity, and justice within the party.
The public hearing, which marks the beginning of the review exercise for the South-South geopolitical zone, was attended by key party leaders in Calabar yesterday.
Speaking at the constitutional review, the APC national vice chairman (South-South), Victor Giadom, stated that the review is in line with President Tinubu’s directive to make the party more responsive to modern realities.
Giadom emphasised that the party’s constitution is the cornerstone of its internal democracy and collective values.
The Cross River APC chairman, Alphonsus Ogar Eba, stated that the review process was initiated by President Tinubu, who emphasised the need for inclusivity and tasked the National Working Committee to commence the amendment process.
Eba lauded Governor Bassey Otu for providing logistical support for the public hearing.
Representing the Cross River State Governor, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, described the exercise as a significant step towards building a stronger, more people-oriented APC.
He lauded President Tinubu for repositioning Nigeria and thanked party stakeholders for their unity and commitment.
The public hearing featured the adoption of memoranda from across the South-South, which will be transmitted to the national committee for consideration before final ratification at the national convention.
In her remarks, Cross River State special leader, Dr Juliana Diwa, canvassed for the immediate activation of deputy positions for persons with disabilities at all levels of the party’s organs (national, zonal, state, local government, and ward levels).
