There was heightened tension on Tuesday at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, as anxiety mounted over the fate of members of the National Working Committee (NWC) ahead of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 24, 2025.
Party insiders told Daily Sun that the prolonged uncertainty surrounding who will succeed Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as National Chairman has thrown the party hierarchy into disarray, with many officials unsure of their future.
For several hours on Tuesday, state party chairmen and national officers met at the party headquarters but were unable to reach a consensus on the path forward for the NWC.
A senior party source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, attributed the deadlock to the unclear signals from the presidency, particularly from President Bola Tinubu, whom they said had yet to indicate his preferred successor or direction for the party’s leadership structure.
Insiders revealed that the presidency is reportedly weighing several options, including dissolving the current NWC and installing a caretaker committee that would steer the party until a full elective convention is held in March 2026.
The perceived grip of the presidency on party affairs has caused unease among top-ranking APC officials. One NWC member, who also spoke anonymously, described the situation as unprecedented.
He said, “What is certain for now is that the NEC meeting will definitely hold on Thursday as earlier scheduled. As you can see, the arrangements have started in earnest with the building of the tent at the secretariat, the venue of the event.
“Apart from that, it has been difficult for most members of the national leadership to confidently say the direction the party will take during and after the NEC meeting.
“The party is now structured in such a way that no national officer knows what the future holds for him or her. The anxiety on Tuesday is understandable.
“The situation is a confirmation that Mr. President has conquered the party to the point that no national officer will confidently tell you what is happening in the party now.”
Another source noted that, unlike in the past when campaigns and lobbying for party leadership were intense ahead of NEC meetings, this time, “there’s no drumming of support” for any aspirant.
The source said, “I have never seen a build-up to the appointment or election of a national chairman of our party that recorded an anxiety like this one. Everybody is looking to the presidency to decide the direction of the future of the party.
“Many options are available, ranging from appointing a replacement for Ganduje, possibly from the North Central geopolitical zone, to dissolving the NWC and constituting a caretaker committee to serve out the tenure of this national leadership ending March next year.
“However, what is certain is that the situation will become clearer by Wednesday.”