APC Governors Clash Over NWC Positions as PDP Leadership Crisis Threatens 2027 Election Participation
Nigeria's ruling APC faces internal tensions over National Working Committee slots ahead of its March convention, while the opposition PDP's leadership crisis could result in the party boycotting the 2027 presidential election.
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Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is embroiled in internal conflict as state governors battle over National Working Committee (NWC) positions ahead of the party's March national convention in Abuja, according to multiple senior party sources cited by Daily Sun.
The dispute threatens to destabilize the APC as it prepares for its 2026 convention, with the party "fast degenerating into a ferocious war of attrition" over the distribution of key leadership slots. The tensions extend beyond the federal level, with aggrieved APC members in Kwara State staging protests at the residence of state chairman Sunday Fagbemi, accusing party leaders of attempting to alter the executive list affirmed during the recent congress.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faces more severe challenges that could impact its 2027 electoral prospects. PDP chieftain Omenka Thomas warned that the party may boycott the 2027 presidential election due to its unresolved leadership crisis. "There is an indication that the party may not participate in the 2027 presidential election owing to the unending leadership tussle," Thomas stated, placing blame on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for the internal divisions.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibagho, Oyo State, urged warring PDP factions to seek reconciliation on Friday. PDP governors responded by calling for restraint among party members. "We call on all party members and leaders to show maximum restraint, calm and be law-abiding before, during and after the judgment," the governors said in a statement, while asserting that the court ruling "won't erase Nigerians' yearning for a fair political system."
The political turbulence comes as the federal government moves to strengthen governance institutions. Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi launched the National Action Plan on Criminal Justice Administration at a high-level stakeholders' meeting, aiming to transform Nigeria's legal framework from "a sophisticated text" into a practical, efficient and rights-respecting system.
The Labour Party also experienced defections, with former Anambra governorship candidate Valentine Ozigbo explaining his move to the APC during a Symfoni TV interview. Ozigbo cited frustrations with former presidential candidate Peter Obi, stating: "I don't want to waste my time with unserious people."