Be Calm, President Pleads, Promises Reconciliation

APC Passes Vote of Confidence in Tinubu, Ganduje

• Nigerians love Tinubu’s policies and programmes – Oshiomhole
• Former rivals shun meeting as North-West pacification begins

Despite growing discontent within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and public frustration over government policies, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) yesterday passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu and its National Chairman, Umar Ganduje—essentially signaling support for a potential second-term bid by the President.

The endorsement emerged from the NEC meeting held at the APC National Secretariat, No. 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.

Governors and Party Leaders in Attendance

The meeting saw the presence of several incumbent and former governors, ministers, and top party officials, including:

• Current Governors: Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Musa Sani (Kaduna), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger).
• Former Governors: Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi, and Minister of Budget & National Planning), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara).
• Other Key Attendees: Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu; former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; National Assembly principal officers; and various ministers.

North-West Pacification and Internal Party Discontent

As part of efforts to regain the trust of the North-West geopolitical zone—a key APC vote bank—the NEC zoned the position of National Chairman to the North-West. This move was designed to solidify support in a region where some key stakeholders had expressed grievances.

Tensions within the party date back to Tinubu’s selection of Senator Kashim Shettima (North-East) as his running mate for the 2023 election. Many North-West leaders, including outgoing governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Muhammadu Badaru, Nasir el-Rufai, and Ganduje, had expected the vice-presidential slot to go to their zone. It took former President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention to calm the situation and keep them committed to the party’s electoral success.

After Tinubu’s victory, Northern political stakeholders met and demanded that the Senate Presidency and APC Chairmanship be given to the North. While Tinubu conceded the party chairmanship, he personally selected Ganduje for the position, rejecting the North-West’s preferred candidate. Additionally, he handpicked Senator Godswill Akpabio (South-South) as Senate President, which further fueled discontent in the North-Central and North-West regions.

Oshiomhole Endorses Tinubu for Second Term

Speaking at the NEC meeting, former APC National Chairman and current Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, lauded Tinubu’s policies, declaring that the President’s performance warrants a second term. He seconded a motion for a vote of confidence in Tinubu, moved by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

Oshiomhole asserted that Tinubu’s administration was on the right track and that Nigerians would support his re-election in 2027.

Key Political Figures Shun NEC Meeting

Notably, several of Tinubu’s former rivals in the 2022 APC presidential primaries were absent from the NEC meeting, including:

• Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
• Former Transportation Minister Chibuike Amaechi
• Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi
• Former Senate President Ahmed Lawan

Former President Muhammadu Buhari was also absent. Sources suggest Tinubu is working on reconciling aggrieved party members, with a midterm cabinet reshuffle expected after the anticipated appointment of diplomats.

Battle for Kano: Ganduje vs. Kwankwaso

NEC’s decision to affirm the North-West’s hold on the APC Chairmanship is widely seen as an effort to strengthen Ganduje’s position in his ongoing political battle with Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and a dominant force in Kano politics.

Tinubu Appeals for Patience, Promises Reconciliation

As Tinubu arrived at the meeting, supporters chanted “On your mandate, we stand! No vacancy in the villa!”. In his remarks, the President:

• Thanked the NEC for their confidence in his leadership.
• Defended his administration’s economic policies, noting that other nations also face economic challenges.
• Promised to strengthen security and reduce food prices.
• Called for the establishment of reconciliation committees in APC-controlled states to resolve internal disputes.

He acknowledged the party’s infrastructural challenges, particularly the need for a larger national headquarters, and directed the Minister of National Economic Planning to address the issue.

Ganduje Reveals APC’s Financial Burden

APC National Chairman Ganduje disclosed that the party inherited N8.98 billion in liabilities, largely due to legal fees from election-related litigations. He also reiterated the need for a new party secretariat, revealing that the APC had applied for land in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to build a permanent complex.

APC Expands NEC, Approves 2025 Budget

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, briefed reporters after the meeting, announcing that:

• NEC ratified the zoning of the National Chairmanship to the North-West.
• A seven-member committee, chaired by Governor Mai Mala Buni, will expand NEC membership.
• The party’s 2025 budget, financial statement, and audited accounts were approved.

Morka dismissed concerns about the absence of Buhari, Osinbajo, Fayemi, and others, stating that full attendance is never expected at such meetings.

APC’s Strength and Defections from Opposition

Responding to former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s claim that APC’s party structures are weak, Morka disagreed, citing the defection of over 18 opposition National Assembly members to the APC as proof of the party’s strength.

He dismissed el-Rufai’s comments as “grievance-driven”, adding that “if opposition parties were strong, their members wouldn’t be defecting to the APC.”

Conclusion

The APC NEC meeting reaffirmed support for President Tinubu, signaled reconciliation efforts, and set the stage for a possible second-term bid. However, the absence of key former rivals and lingering tensions within the party indicate that reconciliation efforts must be intensified if Tinubu hopes to maintain party unity ahead of 2027.