Party Convention: APC Opts for Consensus Election of National Leaders

At the party’s convention, which is set for March 27–28, 2026, in Abuja, the All Progressives Congress has confirmed that it will use a consensus process to choose its national leadership.

In an interview with Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Mary Ikoku, the Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity for the APC National Convention 2026, revealed the idea.

Ikoku stated that the party had not yet made a decision on how to handle elective seats during primaries, pointing out that choices might differ based on regional political factors.

“APC, I am aware and can state that the party is adopting consensus for this convention,” she clarified. Because politics is local, I am unable to respond to the question of whether they are embracing consensus for elective positions.

“So, I think that, in the end, when it comes to the issue of elective positions, the people who would emerge aren’t often what you would want to make consensus in every space.”

Ikoku also discussed the rules of the Electoral Act, which mandate that political parties explain acceptable candidate selection procedures and register members online within a certain amount of time.

According to her, these regulations presented difficulties for certain parties but demonstrated readiness—or lack thereof.

“The models for these elections are outlined in our electoral law. Indirect primaries have been eliminated, but direct primaries and consensus are still permitted.

“That is the country’s existing law, approved and ratified. “Now, why do you think that will cause problems for other political parties?” she questioned.

That would indicate that different political groups have varying degrees of unpreparedness. Any respectable political party should begin planning for the run for office and all of these congresses before election season.

They would have made plans for it in advance. Therefore, these kinds of circumstances can seriously test you if you are not proactive as a party,” she continued.

The party started vetting candidates for important roles in its National Working Committee before to the convention, such as National Secretary candidate Ajibola Basiru and National Chairman candidate Nentawe Yilwatda.

National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, Deputy National Chairman (North) Ali Bukar Dalori, National Legal Advisor Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, National Woman Leader Mary Alile Idele, and National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka are among the other NWC members that are vying to keep their positions.

In the meantime, Senator Douye Diri, the governor of Bayelsa State, has stated that the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) decision to pick its officials by agreement is the greatest method to promote unity and strengthen the party in front of the general election in 2027.

This was said by Senator Diri on Wednesday during the APC South-South Zonal Congress in Asaba, Delta State.

The governor of Bayelsa expressed contentment that the South-South region now has a unified voice in politics under the APC, emphasizing the necessity of the region’s participation in national decision-making.

The head of the South-South Governors Forum, Diri, recalled that when he ran for governor in 2019, the political party primary delegate election process made the process bitter.

He stated that the catchphrase at the time was “without delegates, there will be no governor,” but he pointed out that this has since changed to “consensus building.”

“On the unity of the South-South zone, I like to align myself with the previous speakers,” he said. The South-South now has a single voice in this area’s politics. Due to the zone’s strategic importance, this is significant.

You will fall behind in the decision-making process if you are not present at the sharing table. We must band together so that we won’t tolerate small differences between us.

“Let’s cooperate to keep the APC united and safe in the South-South, and hopefully all of our candidates will win the 2027 elections. A unified family is the best thing there is.

“Let me commend President Bola Tinubu for his outstanding accomplishments thus far. Such electoral congresses and other political gatherings were typically characterized by animosity and bloodshed. However, in order to create our party executives from the wards to the regional level, we now use the consensus process.

In his speech, Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised Chief Victor Giadom, the former national vice chairman, for his tireless efforts to win over every governor in the area to the party.

Senator Akpabio said he was thrilled that Governor Diri had joined the APC and that he admired the Bayelsa governor’s kind disposition.

Chief Giadom made it possible for the governors of the South-South zone to unite within the APC. I’d want to commend you and your group on your accomplishments. We shall be the Nigerian geopolitical region that casts the most votes for President Tinubu in 2027 now that we are finished and concentrated.

Our region hasn’t produced a senate president in the last forty-six years or thereabouts. However, the South-South region is recognized under President Tinubu. We appreciate the president assigning a senate president to the South-South.

The host governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, as well as his counterparts from Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Cross River, all discussed the need for unity in order to elect President Tinubu to a second term.

In their speeches, every governor pledged to support the president’s reelection.

Together with seven other party zonal executives, Chief Victor Giadom was reinstated as the party’s zone chairman.

The motion to dissolve the immediate zone executive was made by Delta State House of Assembly Speaker Emomotimi Guwor and seconded by his Bayelsa counterpart Abraham Ingobere.

Giadom stated in his speech that the assembly of the region’s six governors, legislators, ministers, and other significant stakeholders demonstrated the zone’s will to support all APC candidates in the election the next year.S’West APC aims for a huge victory for Tinubu in 2027 and re-elects Kekemeke

Isaacs Kekemeke was re-elected as the All Progressives Congress’s National Vice Chairman for the South-West region on Wednesday.

At the party’s South-West Zonal Congress, which took place at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium in Onikan, Lagos, Kekemeke and other zonal executive members emerged.

The congress was attended by 3,188 delegates from the six South-West states, and a consensual agreement approved by voice vote was used to return the executives.

According to Jide Jimoh, chairman of the Zonal Congress Committee, the consensus was adopted in accordance with the Electoral Act’s stipulations.

Femi Aluko, the secretary; Lateef Ibirogba, the organizing secretary; Ayo Afolabi, the publicity secretary; Adeduyi Daramola, the youth leader; Ismail Majaro, the legal advisor; and Dayo Ishola, the representative of people with disabilities, are among the other elected officials.

At the event, party officials vowed to give Bola Ahmed Tinubu a resounding win in the general election of 2027.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, and Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State were among the dignitaries in attendance.

Olusegun Osoba, a former governor of Ogun State; Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor of Lagos State; Mudasiru Obasa, the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly; and Bola Oyebamiji, the APC’s candidate for Osun State governor, were all there.

Sanwo-Olu, speaking on behalf of the governors of the South-West, said the congress was calm and demonstrated the party’s unity in the area.

“We have witnessed the conduct of a free and fair election, in accordance with the provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act,” stated Sanwo-Olu. This congress demonstrates the strength and unity of the South-West as a political grouping.

The National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, on behalf of the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, congratulated the new executives and asked them to strive for the party’s triumph in 2027.

Kekemeke noted that the party would fare well in the upcoming general election and expressed confidence in the party’s strength throughout the region.

Arodiogbu is re-elected by the APC as South-East National Vice Chairman.

Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu has been re-elected by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to serve as its South-East National Vice Chairman, guiding the party’s operations in the region for the ensuing four years.

At the APC South-East Congress on Wednesday, which took place at the Presidential Hotel in Enugu, Arodiogbu appeared among other zonal executives.

Party representatives from each of the five South-East states supported a consensual agreement that was used to conduct the election.

Chief Ernest Ogbonna, Legal Secretary, and Chief Innocent Itapi, Zonal Secretary, were among the other members of the recently elected zonal executive.

The others are: Dr. Stanley Nwachukwu, Leader of Persons with Disabilities (PWD); Mr. Henry Onwughaluonye, Publicity Secretary; Mr. Chima Ogbonnaya, Youth Leader; and Dr. Oby Aji, Women Leader.

The list of candidates was approved after a motion by party officials and members, according to Chief Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who made the announcement.

“When a motion is made and approved, it shows that our party’s leadership and members agree to accept these names as consensus candidates for the South-East,” he stated.

The incident, according to Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, is a clear sign of the APC’s increasing power in the South-East.

This demonstrates how deeply ingrained APC is in the South-East. Because of the commitment of its leaders and followers, the party has continued to become stronger, he said.

Mbah praised the regional governors, national working committee members, and zonal leadership for their efforts to fortify the party’s organizational framework.

In addition, he urged unity prior to the national convention and thanked party officials who had risen from earlier congresses at the state, local, and ward levels.

He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his reform efforts, pointing out that they had put Nigeria on the road to economic expansion.

Speaking, Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma noted that the consensual arrangement showed internal party solidarity and was consistent with the party’s constitution.

“I congratulate our wonderful party’s members on their consistent membership increase throughout the South-East. “Our unity and dedication to progress are reflected in today’s exercise,” Uzodimma stated.

Arodiogbu thanked party members for their faith in him and his group during his acceptance speech.

Notable party officials, like as former Senate President Chief Ken Nnamani, former governor of Anambra State Sen. Chris Ngige, and Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru, attended the congress.