NEC MEETING… APC Begins Pushback Against Opposition Coalition

Ahead of the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Executive (NEC) meeting, the party seems to have begun a pushback against the opposition coalition seeking to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

Barring any last-minute change, the APC will hold its National Caucus and the NEC meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday to consolidate bases and decide on congresses.

The much-anticipated National Caucus and NEC meetings, the last of which was held on August 3, 2023, will take place at the Banquet Hall of Presidential Villa at 6 p.m. and the party’s National Secretariat, Wuse 2, Abuja, at 10 a.m., respectively.

APC national secretary Dr Ajibola Basiru, in a notice published on the party’s official X (Twitter) handle, said all arrangements had been concluded and invitations issued to the statutory members, in line with Article 12.5 of the APC Constitution. At the same time, necessary publications had also been made to adequately notify all the relevant stakeholders.

The party’s inability to hold meetings of these vital organs has left many things unattended, with many pending decisions, while creating rumbling amongst some members.

For instance, a former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, complained: “No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man or zero-man show.”

While the party and most of its officials have kept the agenda of the Caucus and NEC meeting secret, it is understood that modalities for the emergence of the next set of party leaders from ward to national levels will be a prominent topic at the gathering.

The meetings would spell the template for ward, local government, and state congresses, as well as a national convention for the election of leaders across these strata, as the four-year tenure of those elected in 2022 will elapse early next year.

Most of the current APC national officers were elected at the party’s National Convention, which took place on March 27, 2022.

Abdullahi Adamu, a former Nasarawa State governor and then-serving senator, was elected national chairman along with other national officials.

However, following his controversial resignation along with the party’s then-national secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, and other national officers in July 2023, the NEC made Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Ajibola Basiru national chairman and secretary, respectively, on August 3, 2023.

Also, the NEC is to consider a proposal for organising a non-elective convention as spelt out  in Article 25(A)(i) of the APC Constitution.

It reads: “The National Convention of the party shall be held in two years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee (NWC) and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC), subject to giving statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and at least 14 days’ notice to members eligible to attend.”

There has also been anxiety amongst political observers following the recent appointments of all the NWC members as chairmen of boards of government agencies, with some insinuating that it could be a way of taking them off the party’s leadership.

This anxiety is expected to be addressed, especially during the NEC, if the NWC members are retained or asked to step aside and focus on their new roles as chairmen of boards of federal agencies and institutions.

A party ranking member who does not want his name in print told LEADERSHIP that during the meetings, the plan for congresses and the national convention would be discussed, and the decision to retain the NWC to finish the four-year tenure, which expires in early 2026, would be made.

“Among other things, the National Caucus and NEC meetings will feature discussions around congresses and national conventions, as, originally, the tenure of the present leadership will be ending in the first quarter of 2026.

“Also, the issue of whether the NWC should continue in office or step aside and focus on their new appointments will be addressed during the meetings. Just wait; it’s just a matter of days and hours, and you will know everything,” the official said.

Another prominent issue to headline the APC NEC meeting is the pushback against the planned opposition coalition, which aims to dislodge APC from the Aso Rock presidential villa, many State Government Houses, and the National Assembly in 2027.

While the APC national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, had yet to reply to LEADERSHIP on how the party intends to tackle the mounting opposition, a party chieftain said the NEC would address that for the APC to retain power at the centre and the subnationals.

The APC chieftain, a member of NEC, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said options to be explored include setting up a reconciliation committee to dialogue with aggrieved high-profile members and reconciling the crisis-ridden state chapters.

“We, as experienced politicians, are not taking opposition threats lightly. Though we are on ground and the next election will be simply a referendum on the giant strides of our administration, we are not taking chances. Beginning from this NEC and National Caucus, we will put machinery in place to tackle the gathering storm head-on.

“One of the approaches would be a recommendation to the NWC to set up a reconciliation committee to meet and discuss with our aggrieved very senior members and leaders of the party, some of whom are in the forefront of the opposition elements. The same committee or another one will take reconciliation to our state chapters engulfed in crisis to mend fences. The other strategies are too sensible to divulge in the public,” the non-NWC NEC member said.

LEADERSHIP learned that the party’s organs would, at their meetings, also review the reports of the off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, Edo and Ondo, as well as the preparation for the November 8, 2025 Anamabra governorship election.

Issues to consider include the mode of primary election, the constitution of the campaign council, and funding for the Anambra governorship election.

Other administrative issues include the party’s  financial and audit reports, the budget proposal for 2025, payment by elected and appointed federal office holders, the newly established Progressive Institute, and electronic registration of members.

  Kano NNPP Suspends Sen. Sumaila 3 other lawmakers

The Kano state chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has suspended Sen. Kawu Sumaila, representing the Kano South Senatorial district, and three other lawmakers over alleged anti-party activities.

The other House of Representatives members include Kabiru Alhassan Rurum (Rano/Kibiya Federal Constituency), Ali Madakin Gini (Dala Federal Constituency) and Sani Abdullahi Rogo (Rogo/Karaye Federal Constituency).

The party chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, announced the suspension while responding to questions from newsmen at the party secretariat on Monday, noting that the lawmakers were suspended for gross misconduct.

Dungurawa said the members were elected under the NNPP platform but have recently acted contrary to the party’s interest, norms and values.

According to him, they were given complimentary tickets during the party elections. Still, after being elected, they began to work against the party’s interests, describing them as ‘not too functional members of the party ‘.

“They are doing things contrary to our interests, norms and values of our party, and we find it very necessary for us to have a stand, which is to suspend them because of their wrongdoings, bad attitude to the party, demoralising party stand and movement (Kwankwasiya movement),” he said.

The NNPP chairman cited instances where Senator Sumaila commissioned projects and conducted his daughter’s wedding in his zone and APC bigwigs such as APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin were in attendance, while those who supported him were not invited.

Meanwhile, Ganduje has hinted at plans to receive senior officials, senators, and other legislators from the NNPP into the APC at the weekend in Kano.

In their reaction, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, the member representing Rano, Kibiya, and Bunkure Federal Constituency, has dismissed his suspension from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano, describing it as a baseless move and an act of contempt of court.

Reacting to the suspension notice issued by the Kano NNPP chairman, Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa, Rurum insisted that he and his colleagues were never aligned with the faction that changed the party’s logo, emphasising that they belong to a different NNPP faction.

Rurum and Madakin Gini had openly disassociated themselves from the Kwankwasiyya movement and identified with the NNPP, which bears the fruit and basket logo.

He said, “The world knows we have not been with them since they changed the party’s logo. We are in the NNPP with the fruit and basket logo, while they are with the book logo. We also have a court judgment that dismissed their claims.”

He accused the Kano NNPP leadership of defying legal rulings, stating, “What they did is a contempt of court. They are not legitimate party leaders. After our victory, they took us to an Abia High Court, and even this week, we were in court again. They are deceiving Nigerians.”

Rurum also linked the suspension to the recent wedding ceremony of Senator Kawu Sumaila’s daughter, which he said was attended by prominent Nigerians.

He alleged that the party’s leadership, including its national leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was invited but chose not to attend.

Rurum dismissed the suspension as meaningless, stating that his faction operates independently.

“Everybody in this country knows we are on two different lanes. They have only suspended themselves because we are not with them,” he declared.

His reaction adds to the deepening rift within the NNPP, with ongoing legal battles and political tensions widening the divide between the two factions.