Daniel Otera
The resignation of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reignited calls from the party’s North-Central bloc for the chairmanship position to return to the region. Citing fairness, justice, and electoral performance, the North-Central APC Forum has urged President Bola Tinubu and key party leaders to seize what it calls a “golden opportunity” to redress long standing marginalisation.
Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, Chairman of the North-Central APC Forum, issued a statement on Saturday in Abuja, insisting that the region had been unjustly sidelined despite its substantial role in the party’s electoral victories and its previous entitlement to the chairmanship through internal zoning arrangements.
“It is on record that the North-Central APC Forum has long advocated for the party to honour the principles of the existing zoning arrangement, which allocated the position of National Chairman to the North-Central,” the Forum stated. “We have argued that the region should be allowed to complete the tenure of former National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, even going to court to press our case.”
The Forum said it suspended its agitation following Ganduje’s appointment in 2023, in the interest of unity. However, with his resignation, stakeholders in the zone believe the case for equity and regional balance has become urgent once more.
“Now that Ganduje has decided to step aside, it is only fair and just for the party to finally allow the North-Central to produce the National Chairman,” Zazzaga said. “We appeal to President Bola Tinubu, whom we regard as a listening President, and other party stakeholders to support the emergence of a National Chairman from the North-Central.”
The North-Central had previously held the APC’s National Chairmanship through Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who assumed the role in March 2022. His abrupt resignation in July 2023 left a leadership vacuum that was later filled by Ganduje, from Kano in the North-West.
The decision to bypass the North-Central’s rotational entitlement drew criticism and was seen by many as a breach of the party’s zoning arrangement, a critical, if informal, mechanism designed to maintain inclusivity and balance among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Since its formation in 2013, the APC has produced two National Chairmen from the North-West Adams Oshiomhole and Abdullahi Ganduje making it the most favoured zone in terms of party leadership. Meanwhile, the North-Central’s brief tenure under Adamu was cut short, leaving regional stakeholders feeling politically sidelined.
The Forum argues that the latest vacancy presents a timely chance to correct this imbalance. To reinforce its case, the group cited official electoral data from the 2023 general election.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, polled 1,760,993 votes (41.3%) across the six North-Central states Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau. In comparison, Labour Party’s Peter Obi secured 1,415,557 votes (33.2%), while the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar received 1,025,178 votes (24.1%).
These numbers positioned the North-Central as the third-highest contributor to Tinubu’s victory, trailing only the South-West and North-West. The Forum argues that such a performance warrants greater recognition in internal party structures.
“The North-Central demonstrated its electoral value. It is not just about entitlement it’s about the political logic of rewarding performance,” the statement added.
The Forum also highlighted APC’s control of five out of six states in the zone Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger making it the geopolitical region with the highest number of APC governors nationwide. Plateau remains under the PDP, although party stakeholders suggested that alignment efforts are underway to bring the state back into the APC fold.
“This level of control places the North-Central at the apex of APC’s subnational strength,” the Forum stated, reinforcing that the zone is politically strategic heading into the 2027 elections.
Reflecting on Ganduje’s time as National Chairman, the Forum acknowledged his contributions to party unity and expansion.
“During Ganduje’s tenure as National Chairman, several governors, including those from Delta and Akwa Ibom states, defected to the APC,” the Forum said. “Additionally, numerous senators and members of the House of Representatives joined the party.”
The Forum described its earlier decision to suspend agitation as a gesture of loyalty, saying the same goodwill should now be extended in return. It called on Acting Chairman, Ali Dalori, to urgently convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
“This is the time for the party to do the right thing,” Zazzaga said. “The NEC must move swiftly to elect a substantive National Chairman from the North-Central region.”
Political analysts say the APC’s handling of the succession process may shape its internal cohesion ahead of 2027. For the North-Central APC Forum, the path forward is clear.
“We are not demanding the position of National Chairman as a mere entitlement,” the statement concluded. “The North-Central has capable leaders who can ensure the APC’s success in the 2027 elections. Allowing the region to produce the National Chairman will not only rectify past injustices but also ensure that the party continues on its path of progress and strength.”
