With only hours to go before the highly anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), anxiety continues to build within the party as speculation mounts over potential leadership changes and strategic realignments.
The NEC meeting is scheduled for Thursday in Abuja, following a closed-door session of the National Working Committee (NWC) held on Monday. That meeting, which lasted about two hours, ended without an official media briefing, leaving its agenda undisclosed.
Draft agenda awaits President Tinubu’s approval
Party insiders told Daily Trust that the NWC has already submitted a draft agenda to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for final approval.
“The meeting will hold as planned, but we don’t know the kind of politics the president and other stakeholders might play,” a source within the party explained.
“At the NWC level, the draft agenda touches on leadership transition, elective convention, congresses, and e-registration of members, among other matters.”
Legal framework and party constitution
Speaking on the party’s constitutional process, Barrister Bashir Maidugu, a member of the APC Constitution Review Committee (2022), clarified that the NEC is empowered to appoint a substantive national chairman when necessary.
“It was on this basis that Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was nominated following Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s resignation. However, any such nomination must still be ratified at the next national convention,” Maidugu explained.
He cited Article 13:3(ii) of the APC Constitution, which allows the NEC to “discharge all functions of the national convention in between national conventions,” and Section 13.3(c), which states that acting national officers cannot remain in office beyond 12 calendar months.
Rumours of NWC dissolution and caretaker committee
As the NEC meeting approaches, there is growing speculation that the current NWC could be dissolved and replaced by a 13-member caretaker committee ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Some NWC members remain loyal to Ganduje, who is no longer in office, and others are said to be aligning with opposition groups,” a party insider revealed.
“There’s a push from some quarters to restructure the party leadership before the next election cycle.”
Such a move wouldn’t be unprecedented. In 2020, the NEC dissolved the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC and appointed then Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni to head the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, which organized the convention that brought in Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Official response: “All rumours for now”
In a telephone interview, APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, downplayed the speculation, describing it as “rumours and speculation.”
On whether the NEC meeting would go ahead, he said: “Yes, affirmed.”
Regarding the agenda: “No, I don’t have it. I’m not privy to that.”
When asked about dissolving the NWC, Ibrahim replied: “I can’t confirm that. I’ve heard such things, but until I’m officially informed, it remains speculation.”
On the potential ratification of Dalori’s acting role, he added: “It’s my hope, but it’s not something I can confirm. NEC can decide anything.”
With tensions rising and the political stakes high, all eyes are now on the NEC meeting — and on what President Tinubu’s next strategic move might be for the ruling party.
