Fresh tensions are brewing within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the party prepares for its 2026 National Convention scheduled to hold in Abuja later this month.
What was initially expected to be a celebratory gathering of an expanding ruling party has instead degenerated into an intense internal struggle, with governors elected on the party’s platform reportedly locked in fierce disagreements over the distribution of key positions within the National Working Committee (NWC).
Party insiders revealed that the disputes revolve around zoning arrangements, control of influential party offices and the strategic calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Multiple senior party sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the Progressives Governors’ Forum had already held at least two closed-door meetings in Abuja in an attempt to resolve the differences. However, the meetings reportedly ended without any clear resolution.
According to one party source, the disagreements are less about ideology and more about political leverage.
“The governors are not fighting over principle. They are fighting over power. Every position on that NWC is a lever for 2027,” the source said.
The forthcoming APC convention is widely considered the most significant party gathering since the 2022 congress that produced the current leadership structure.
The convention will either confirm the existing NWC or restructure it, a process that could determine who controls the party machinery ahead of the next election cycle.
Analysts say zoning considerations—balancing positions across Nigeria’s geopolitical regions—are expected to dominate negotiations. However, achieving such balance has historically proven difficult within the party.
A similar contest over zoning and leadership positions nearly disrupted the party’s convention in 2022.
This time, the stakes appear even higher as the APC has expanded significantly following a wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties.
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The ruling party now boasts no fewer than 30 governors across the country, intensifying the struggle for influence within its leadership structure.
Sources within the party say the most contentious positions include the Deputy National Chairman (North), National Organising Secretary, National Publicity Secretary and Deputy National Publicity Secretary.
These roles are considered highly strategic because they influence the management of party primaries, delegate lists and communication strategies ahead of national elections.
Governors within the APC are reportedly divided over how the offices should be zoned and which individuals or regions should nominate candidates for the positions.
A senior party official disclosed that governors from the North-West region are pushing strongly for greater representation in the NWC.
Meanwhile, leaders from the North-Central zone insist that the existing arrangement should remain intact since the region already holds the position of National Chairman through Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda.
In preparation for the convention, the APC has inaugurated its National Central Coordinating Committee tasked with organising the event.
The committee was inaugurated at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja by the APC National Chairman, Professor Yilwatda, who said the move demonstrates the party’s commitment to internal democracy and organisational discipline.
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Former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari chairs the committee, while former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim serves as Vice Chairman I.
Other members include Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as Vice Chairman II, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as Treasurer and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni as Secretary.
However, party sources revealed that even within the convention committee, disagreements over zoning and political interests persist.
At least three governors on the committee are said to be lobbying quietly to ensure their regions secure influential positions in the party hierarchy.
Another factor complicating the internal negotiations is the influx of defectors from opposition parties in recent months.
In states such as Delta State, Enugu State, Bayelsa State and Taraba State, allies of recently defected governors have reportedly emerged as state party chairmen.
This development has effectively handed significant control of local party structures to the new entrants, further altering the balance of power within the APC.
Despite the growing tensions, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has so far refrained from intervening directly in the dispute.
Instead, sources say the president has allowed the governors considerable latitude to manage the party’s internal affairs and resolve the disagreements themselves.
Political observers believe the outcome of the 2026 national convention could shape the internal power dynamics of the ruling party and significantly influence preparations for the 2027 general elections.