APC govs consolidate grip on party machinery ahead of Primaries
By John Okezie
Last Saturday’s conclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 8th National Convention at Eagle Square has signaled a major shift in Nigeria’s political landscape.
AbeyaNews gathered that the political shift, is centred upon the 32 governors of the APC, who have effectively seized control of the ruling party’s internal architecture ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While the two-day gathering officially served to elect a new National Working Committee (NWC), party insiders and sources AbeyaNews that the event was a masterclass in gubernatorial dominance ahead of primaries expected to commence next month.
With Senate President, Godswill Akpabio boasting that the number of APC-led states could exceed 32 by election day, the outcome of the convention has positioned the governors as the ultimate power brokers.
It was revealed that the convention’s outcomes were largely determined long before the first delegate arrived in Abuja. Through a series of caucus meetings, the governors ensured that their fingerprints were on every critical sub-committee.
Former Katsina Governor, Aminu Masari led the Central Coordination Committee, while Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, a veteran of party administration, oversaw the delegation process as secretary.
Further solidifying this grip, Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago headed the Digital and New Media Sub-Committee, effectively centralizing the party’s real-time narrative.
The convention also saw the emergence of a powerful bloc of governors, including recent defectors from opposition parties, whose financial muscle and control over state structures made them the primary architects of the new party leadership.
A new trend, it was learned has been introduced by the governors and adopted during the convention- the consensus model of electing public office holders.
From the South South congress in Asaba to the North West gathering in Kaduna, executive positions were filled through voice votes rather than competitive balloting.
While Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri, Chairman of the South South Governors’ Forum, defended the method as a tool for fostering unity and avoiding rancorous primaries, others differ.
However, observers believe that despite the outward display of unity, a significant constitutional battle is brewing over the mode of the 2026 primaries.
Findings revealed that governors are pushing for a consensus system; a model that grants them maximum influence over the emergence of candidates for the National Assembly and state legislatures.
The plan by APC governors, it was further learned, has placed them on a potential collision course with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Sources revealed that President Tinubu may favour direct primaries to prevent the party from being held hostage by governors, who have tested the waters with the just-concluded primaries.
Beyond the firm dominance of the governors, the convention also highlighted a strategic recalibration in the South East, historically seen as APC’s weakest link.
With the emergence of Dr. Ben Nwoye as Deputy National Chairman (South), South East governors are now described as being better positioned within the party hierarchy than at any point since 2015.
“As the APC moves toward the 2027 cycle, the convention has clarified one fundamental truth of Nigerian power dynamics: while the Presidency remains the ultimate prize, the governors own the “engine room of the party.
“The structures, zoning formulas, and delegate lists currently being assembled across 32 Government Houses will likely dictate the direction of the Nigerian ship of state long before the first ballot is cast in the general election,” an APC chieftain said in confidence.
