As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for July 24, tension is mounting over who succeeds the former National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who resigned last week citing health reasons.
Ganduje, a former Governor of Kano State, served as National Chairman of the party for 20 months before stepping down but his resignation has opened up intense lobbying and internal wrangling from gladiators in the Northcentral zone.
Findings by Saturday Telegraph during the week indicated that the division within the ruling party’s ranks is along religious lines.
While some Christian stakeholders are pushing for a Christian to succeed Ganduje to ensure religious balance considering the fact that the top echelon of government had been dominated by Muslims.
Some Muslim members on the other hand have continued to insist that the position remains with a Muslim.
While Christian stakeholders have thrown up a former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye, former Nasarawa Deputy Governor, Chief Sam Egwuaga and the current Deputy National Secretary, Chief Festus Fuanter.
On the other hand, Muslim members are rooting for former Nasarawa Governor Senator, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, immediate past Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and Senator Saliu Mustapha from Kwara State.
According to Christian party leaders, the APC’s power structure is becoming increasingly dominated by Muslims, which they say risks alienating Christian members and creating a negative public perception.
They argued that balancing religious representation at the top level is crucial to national unity and electoral success.
Muslim stakeholders, however, countered that the party has had Christian national chairmen in the past, citing Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, both former Edo State Governors.
A Christian source in the party said: “Everything about this party is turning to a Muslim thing. From the Presidency to the party, all the heads are Muslims. The National Chairman is a Muslim and the National Secretary is Muslim also. I think the President should think it a good thing to bring a Christian for a balance.”
But a Muslim counterpart from the party secretariat said competence should be key in determining the new party chairman.
The source who pleaded not to be named said: “Christians have also headed the party. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole are Christians. A Muslim chairman should complete the present tenure of the NWC before considering another faith.”
Contenders
As it stands, the contenders reportedly eyeing the chairmanship position include: Senator Tanko Al-Makura (former Governor of Nasarawa State), Alhaji Yahaya Bello (former Governor of Kogi State), Senator Joshua Dariye (former Governor of Plateau State), Chief Sam Egwuaga (former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State), Chief Festus Fuanter (APC Deputy National Secretary), Senator Saliu Mustapha (Kwara State) and Senator Abdulaziz Yari (former Governor of Zamfara State).
All aspirants are from the North-Central geopolitical zone; except Senator Yari, who hails from the North-West.
Zoning and Northcentral’s argument
In 2022, the APC zoned the National Chairmanship to the Northcentral zone of the country, and Senator Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State emerged.
However, he was removed after the 2023 general elections prompting the emergence of Ganduje, from Kano (North-West), who was controversially brought in to replace him in August 2023 drawing strong protests from APC stakeholders in the Northcentral zone.
A chieftain of the party from North-Central stated that the chairmanship should rightfully return to the zone.
“The Northcentral has five APC governors in Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, and Benue. Any of these states should be able to produce Ganduje’s replacement,” he said.
He argued that Senator Al-Makura remains the most qualified and deserving, having missed out on the position twice first in 2022 when former President Muhammadu Buhari endorsed Abdullahi Adamu, and again in 2023 when hopes were high before President Bola Tinubu appointed Ganduje.
Call for stability
Meanwhile, the APC Integrity Group has appealed to President Tinubu to allow the acting National Chairman, Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, to continue in office until December.
The group, led by National Coordinator, Mallam Dawu Mohammed and Secretary Chisom Nwakanma, said this would enable Dalori to supervise state congresses and potentially conduct a national convention that would usher in a new party leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
