A coalition within the All Progressives Congress (APC), known as the North Central APC Accord, has warned the party against sidelining the region in the choice of a new national chairman, insisting that the time has come for fairness, inclusion and equity.
The warning comes ahead of the party’s anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting following the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje as national chairman.
In a statement jointly signed by Rev. Matthias Ikani, president of the group, and Ambassador Moses Audu, secretary general, the group endorsed Senator Mohammed Sani Musa as the “most credible and unifying” candidate to lead the APC at this critical time.
The group said: “We make this call not on the basis of mere sentiment, but from a long-standing conviction that Senator Sani Musa represents the future of progressive leadership in our party.
“He is calm, visionary, tested and trusted. In a time when our party needs internal healing and national balance, Senator Musa is the bridge between legacy and future.”
The group argued that since the formation of the APC in 2013, the North Central zone has consistently delivered key electoral victories for the party but has been repeatedly overlooked in the zoning of major party positions, including the national chairmanship.
“This is a matter of equity and justice. The North Central has never produced a substantive national chairman despite its unwavering loyalty to the party,” the statement added.
They urged President Bola Tinubu to honour his legacy of inclusiveness and internal democracy by supporting the zoning of the APC chairmanship to the region.
“The president has a historic opportunity to reinforce the unity of the party by supporting a process that is inclusive and consultative,” the group said.
Sani Musa, who currently represents Niger East in the Senate and chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, was praised by the group as a disciplined and forward-looking politician with no history of factionalism or backroom dealings.
“He exudes discipline, strategic thinking, and humility. These are the qualities our party needs at the centre right now,” they said.
The group warned that imposing another chairman from outside the North Central, or one without grassroots acceptance, could further fracture the party and undermine public confidence ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We are not asking for a favour. We are demanding what is right — for the North Central, and for the APC,” the group concluded.
