A senior figure in Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the party’s leadership to reconsider a process that would see state governors exert decisive control over the party’s forthcoming congresses, warning it risks severe internal division and the alienation of members ahead of the 2027 elections.
Yekini Nabena, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, stated that nomination forms for the state and local government congresses are being routed directly to incumbent governors. He warned this practice sidelines democratic procedures, allowing governors to select party officials by fiat rather than through contest. This, he said, could trigger an “internal crisis” that threatens the party’s cohesion and survival.
Nabena’s appeal was directed at the APC National Working Committee (NWC), chaired by Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda. He called for an immediate reversal of the trend, cautioning that proceeding as planned would exacerbate existing tensions within the party. Separately, he appealed to APC elders to counsel the NWC against what he described as an erroneous path.
The warning comes amid observable strains within the APC. Nabena highlighted a dramatic decline in registered membership, noting the party’s figures have plummeted from a claimed 40 million to struggling to reach 10 million in an ongoing electronic registration drive. He argued that centralizing power with governors would further alienate the party’s base and remaining supporters.
Concluding his statement, Nabena specifically asked President Bola Tinubu, the party’s national leader, to intervene before the nationwide congress schedule begins. He stressed that early, decisive action from the presidency is essential to prevent what he termed a potential “implosion” of the ruling party.
The congresses are critical for determining the party’s grassroots structure and leadership composition for the next electoral cycle. Nabena’s intervention underscores deep-seated concerns about governance, inclusion, and the long-term unity of the APC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
