The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State is grappling with brewing internal tensions as the party gears up for its impending ward congresses, with stakeholders raising alarms over what they describe as a purported pre-selection of leadership positions at the grassroots level. This development comes amid the party’s recent adoption of a consensus model for electing officials, a move intended to foster unity but which some members view as a veiled imposition serving the interests of a select few ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a stakeholders’ meeting held last week at the Government House in Lafia, presided over by Governor Abdullahi Sule, the APC unanimously resolved to adopt consensus as the primary mode for selecting party executives from ward to state levels. The decision, supported by key figures including former Governor and ex-National APC Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu, State Chairman Dr. Aliyu Bello, and members of the National and State Assemblies, was framed as a strategy to promote inclusivity, reduce conflicts, and ensure the party’s stability.
However, beneath the surface of this apparent harmony, discontent is mounting. Multiple stakeholders, speaking on condition of anonymity to The Eyewitness Newspaper, accused the party leadership of sidelining key players in the selection process. “The purported list of ward leaders circulating is nothing short of an imposition,” one veteran party member from Lafia Local Government Area alleged. “We’ve been loyal to the APC since its inception, yet decisions are being made in closed-door meetings without our input. This is tailored to protect the personal agendas of certain bigwigs eyeing 2027.”
“We are not against consensus per se; it’s a tool for unity if done right,” another stakeholder from Karu Local Government noted. “But if it’s used to exclude us, it defeats the purpose. We want those selected to be adopted fairly, not forced upon us.”
Some party members have vowed to resist any such moves, warning that they could deepen divisions within the APC. “We will reject any imposition that serves personal interests,” an outgoing ward-level executive from Keffi told The Eyewitness. “The party belongs to all of us, not a cabal preparing for 2027. If this continues, it could lead to factions and weaken our chances in the polls.”
The tensions echo earlier rifts within the party. In July this year, a factional crisis erupted when the APC chairman in Gayam Ward, Ibrahim Ilyasu, announced the suspension of State Chairman Aliyu Bello over alleged anti-party activities. Although 18 out of 27 ward executives rejected the suspension, leading to court battles, the matter highlighted underlying fractures. Analysts suggest the current push for consensus may be an attempt to paper over these cracks, but without addressing grassroots concerns, it risks exacerbating them.
Political observers warn that unresolved internal disputes could impact the APC’s cohesion in a state where it holds significant sway, especially with opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) watching closely.
Stakeholders are calling for broader consultations to avert a full-blown crisis, emphasizing that true consensus must involve all voices to secure the party’s future.
