APC leaders back Tinubu’s adoption as sole candidate, pledge fairness, zoning retention, express confidence in landslide victory in 2027 elections.
Former Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and –ex-Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Aminu Masari, have declared that the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) is set for its National Convention and adoption of President Bola Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate of the party for the 2027 general election.
They made the declaration on Monday in Abuja during the Environment and Sanitation sub-committee meeting, headed by Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, ahead of the convention scheduled to hold on Friday and Saturday.
In another development, Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), following a meeting in the early hours of today, resolved to retain the zoning formula for the election of party executives at the national level.
Speaking on Monday , Ayade said as a party, they were repositioning to create a new Nigeria that would be focused on a clear agenda to put people first, above every consideration.
He stated, “We are particularly happy with the management of the FCT for the cleanliness that we have seen across our patrol route.
“I want to say that we will end this with a calisthenics dance, a dance that shows that we are indeed prepared for the elections come next year.
“Indeed, it is very clear that our president has done so well. And so we are here to celebrate the convention and, of course, an adoption of sort of President Bola Tinubu.”
Chairman of Convention Central Coordination Committee, Aminu Masari, stated, “We are ready, you can see that we are ready. And we are waiting for 2027, and our convention. We are ready for it, come Saturday.”
Dogara said what they had witnessed was a pointer to what they hoped the convention would achieve, stating that the focus would not just be on domestic issues in Nigeria but also the global agenda.
Dogara stated, “We have walked around, we have seen how clean this city is and like the co-chairman has said, kudos to whoever is managing the FCT administration.
“Of course, the emphasis is on Nigerians. I want everybody to know that just as injury has pain, the healing process, too, carries pain. The reforms being embarked upon will take time.
“I’m happy that we have President Tinubu; someone who is courageous, someone who is dedicated to the progress of this country. As benefits of these reforms begin to crystalise, Nigerians will see clearly why we should return him back.
“As far as I’m concerned, this convention has offered us the opportunity not only to showcase what the party can do, but to render an account to the teeming populace, ahead of the 2027 election.”
Chairman of Aspirants’ Screening Sub-committee and governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, assured aspirants of fairness and justice, adding that no aspirant would be victimised during the process. Oyebanji stated this on Monday in Abuja at the inaugural meeting of the panel.
He said the committee would be guided by the guidelines, constitution of the party, and the Electoral Act in carrying out its assignment.
He stated, “We are going to be transparent. We are going to be fair. We are going to be just to all of them (aspirants). They are party members and the party has guidelines that guide what we’re going to do.
“We are going to do everything in accordance with the constitution of the party and Electoral Act. So they don’t have anything to fear.”
Co-chairman of the committee and governor of Kogi state, Usman Ododo, assured that the panel would deliver on its mandate.
Ododo stated, “Mine is to appreciate all of you for laying a very good foundation for us to learn from you. I was shocked when I sighted Distinguished Senator Ken Nnamani and others.
“It is a very good example for us that this is a selfless service to our party and nation. This is not about APC but for the country.”
Secretary of the committee, Senator Uche Ekwunife, declared that the ruling party was not just prepared for convention, but also for the 2027 elections.
Ekwunife said, “Let Nigerians know that APC is prepared. We are not just prepared for the convention, we are prepared for the 2027 elections, when we are going to return our president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and our Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima.
“We want to let them know that we are not just green, we are ready, we are prepared, we are confident that in 2027, APC is going to win landslide, 90 per cent of all the votes cast in Nigeria. President Tinubu is coming back.”
APC to Retain Zoning Formula, National Execu-tive, Declare Progressive Governors
Days after the party’s leadership held the same posi-tion, Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), a forum of APC governors, rose from a meeting in the early hours of today and resolved to retain the existing zoning formula in the election of the APC national executive.
At the meeting, which ended at 01.45am, the governors said since the president remained in position, there was no need to re-zone the par-ty offices.
Chairman of PGF and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, who disclosed the position while answering questions from reporters, stressed that the forum also discussed the war in the Persian Gulf and the implication for Nigeria.
PGF, in a statement by Uzodimma, said they deliberated “on development of the nation, the obligations of state leadership, and the duty of progressive governors to translate national reforms into visible improvements in the lives of Nigerians”.
It said the meeting reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to principled governance, democratic stability, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
It stressed that the major thrust of the engagement was the president’s commitment to addressing the security situation in the country “alongside the broader imperatives of economic renewal, social welfare, infrastructure, food systems, and deepening cooperative federalism”.
According to the statement, “The forum noted that the president’s recent visit to the United Kingdom also formed part of this wider security and development diplomacy, and welcomed his assurance that he would continue strategic engagement with other countries to strengthen joint collaboration in tackling security challenges and advancing other development-related priorities.
“The forum appreciated Mr. President’s openness, clarity of purpose, and commitment to building a stronger Federation. In attendance were governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Forum also met with the National Leadership of the Party to discuss very important party matters.
“The meeting served as a platform for policy alignment, institutional reflection, and renewed solidarity around the ideals of progressive governance, which place the human person at the centre of public policy and understand government not merely as an instrument of power but as a trust for justice, order, and shared prosperity.”
The statement said, on the question of “National Direction and the Burden of Leadership,” the APC governors meeting “undertook a review of the national political, economic, and security environment. Members noted that moments of reform are often difficult because they ask a nation to move beyond old comforts into a more durable future”.
It stated, “The PGF, therefore, reaffirmed that responsible leadership must be judged not only by its response to present pressures but also by its courage to lay the foundations of long-term stability, productivity, and inclusion.”
