Barely two weeks before the straw polls of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), internal conflicts among Southern chieftains have become a major concern for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The scramble for key positions in the upcoming 11th National Assembly is intensifying, causing unease within the party hierarchy.
NWC Waives Screening for Tinubu
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC has exempted President Tinubu from the screening process, declaring him cleared to participate in the party's primary elections without appearing before a screening committee. This decision was announced by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, following the NWC's 188th meeting on Wednesday. Morka stated that the waiver was granted under Article 13.4 (xiii) and (xiv) of the APC Constitution, which allows the NWC to organize and supervise primaries and grant waivers in special circumstances for the party's best interest. The NWC cited endorsements from key stakeholders, including the Progressive Governors' Forum (PGF), National Assembly members, and other party organs at the APC National Summit of May 22, 2025. They argued that as an incumbent who had already been screened before the 2022 primaries, another screening would be unnecessary.
ADC Criticizes GDP Celebration
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the Federal Government's celebration of Nigeria's reported Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, describing it as disconnected from the harsh economic realities facing ordinary citizens. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC argued that “people do not eat GDP,” insisting that economic growth is meaningless if it does not translate into lower food prices, job creation, stronger purchasing power, and improved living conditions. The party stated that millions of Nigerians remain trapped in hunger, inflation, unemployment, and rising business costs despite government claims of economic progress. “Growth that only exists in official reports while citizens descend deeper into hardship is not meaningful progress,” the statement added. The ADC urged the government to stop “celebrating statistics” and focus instead on policies that directly improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
Tinubu's Meeting with Governors
During a closed-door meeting with members of the Progressive Governors' Forum, President Tinubu encouraged state governors in their second and final terms to contest senatorial seats in their constituencies to ensure the party's victory. He granted the governors authority to oversee the conduct of the primaries, pleading for fairness in the allocation of positions. However, the issue of automatic tickets for members of the National Assembly was discarded. Shortly after the governors regained influence over the distribution of elective offices, senators decided to amend the Senate rules, setting up a potential clash between the President's plan and the emergence of floor functionaries in the 11th National Assembly.
Christian Deputy from North-West
The Guardian gathered that while Tinubu is keen on picking a Christian deputy from the North-West geopolitical zone, notable politicians from the area argue that since Christians are in the minority, they would need a prominent official in the legislature to market the President's second term. Sources within the PGF disclosed that, unaware of the Presidency's plan to rezone the Senate Presidency, the PGF chairman, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole sustained their interest in succeeding the incumbent, Senator Godswill Akpabio. A high-ranking senator from one of the North-West states confided that when the Presidency learned of the scramble for the chairmanship of the 11th National Assembly, the idea of tinkering with the Senate Rules was suggested to Akpabio, who carried out the instruction believing it aimed at protecting his office.
APC Chairman Comments
APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, told journalists at the party's national secretariat in Abuja that the influx of aspirants reflects the party's strength ahead of 2027. He noted that interest cuts across all geopolitical zones, with aspirants contesting various offices, including the presidency. “We have a sitting President, yet people are buying forms to contest. We allowed it. We opened our party for competition,” he said.
