NEWS
2027: APC Plots Major NWC Shake-up Ahead of Dec Convention
Barring any last-minute changes, the All Progressives Congress is expected to set up a convention planning committee during its National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for July 24.
The committee will oversee preparations for the party’s National Elective Convention scheduled for December, where new members of the National Working Committee are to be elected, the Punch reports.
Citing reliable party sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation, the newspaper further revealed that apart from replacing the national chairman, APC governors and other NEC members are pushing for a full elective convention to replace all current NWC members ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, several NWC members have reportedly begun lobbying to limit the shake-up to just the replacement of the acting national chairman, Ali Bukar Dalori.
Article 12 (4) of the APC Constitution 2022 (as amended) lists the 22 positions that make up the National Working Committee.
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The NWC includes the National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman (North), Deputy National Chairman (South), National Secretary, Deputy National Secretary, six National Vice Chairmen—one from each geopolitical zone (referred to as Zonal Chairmen), National Legal Adviser, National Treasurer and National Financial Secretary.
Others include National Organising Secretary, National Welfare Secretary, National Publicity Secretary, National Auditor, National Woman Leader, Deputy National Woman Leader, National Youth Leader, and National Leader of Persons Living with Disabilities.
Also, Article 17 titled Tenure of Office (i to iii) stated, “Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, all officers of the party elected or appointed into the party’s organs shall serve in such organs for a period of four (4) years and shall be eligible for re-election or re-appointment for another period of four (4) years only, provided that an officer elected or appointed to fill a vacancy arising from death, resignation or otherwise will notwithstanding be eligible for election to same office for two terms.
It added, “No member shall serve in the same office for more than eight (8) years continuously, except a person who first came to the office by filling a vacancy or whose tenure was truncated as a result of the decision of an organ of the party authorised to do so and not on grounds of disciplinary action.
“No member can be an Officer at the National and State levels of the party concurrently, other than being an ex-officio member of that organ.”
Despite the constitutional provision, no national chairman or NWC member has completed a full four-year term at the helm of the ruling party, as their tenures are often cut short.
Most recently, on June 27, 2025, was the resignation of former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, as national chairman.
This is reportedly linked to internal political manoeuvring and strategic positioning within the APC ahead of the 2027 general election.
On June 30, APC Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, announced that the party’s NEC meeting would be held in Abuja on July 24.
According to him, “And during the meeting, if they so desire that a new chairman is nominated, we’ll also accept such nomination and then wait for the convention where the final position of the party will be made as far as the substantive chairman is concerned.
“So, that’s as much as I can tell you. And the date, the suggested date for the NEC meeting is the 24th of July, 2025. It’s going to be here, on the premises of the APC.”
A reliable source told The PUNCH that Dalori is expected to remain in office until December when party delegates will elect new members of the NWC.
The source stated, “Most of the critical stakeholders and even the Presidency are not interested in nominating a new national chairman during the NEC meeting slated for July. What many have supported so far is an elective convention.
“So, at the NEC, the party may constitute a convention planning committee. I said this because the governors and other party leaders want a total change of the current NWC.
“There may be a national elective convention in December. Nobody is planning to replace Dalori in July to the best of my knowledge. Dalori will lead the party to a convention where new leaders of the party will emerge.”
Another source also confirmed that the party was preparing for a December convention to elect new NWC members to reflect the interests of certain governors and recent entrants into the ruling party.
The source said, “The ongoing conversation among party leaders is centred on the December convention. They are concerned about how new NWC members will emerge and lead the party into the 2027 elections.
“It’s not just about replacing Ganduje; the December convention is intended to produce new party leaders.
“This is seen as crucial to accommodate those who have recently joined the party and those expected to join before then, especially governors who are becoming influential in the APC’s national leadership.
“As we speak, some NWC members are already lobbying. They want to retain their positions and are trying to influence other NEC members to simply announce Ganduje’s replacement. But the broader plan is to hold a December convention to elect a new set of party leaders.”
He added, “In the coming days, the governors will brief the President. If he gives his approval, the NEC meeting in July will then constitute the necessary committees.”
Attempts to reach the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, for a response were unsuccessful, as his phone was unreachable at the time of filing this report.
The 15th edition of the Practical Nigerian Content Forum (PNCF) is billed for Yenagoa, Bayelsa State from November 30.
This edition of the initiative of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) would hold be in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government as disclosed on Tuesday when a delegation of the NCDMB and DMG Events met with the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr Peter Pereotubo Akpe, at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Leading the delegation, the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division of NCDMB, Dr Obinna Ezeobi, conveyed the appreciation of the Executive Secretary of the board, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, to the state government for its continued support for the forum.
He said, “We appreciate the Bayelsa State Government for its continued partnership and support for the PNC Forum”.
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According to him, the Youth PNC was designed to expose young people in the Niger Delta to emerging opportunities in the oil and gas industry and the competencies required to build successful careers in other sectors of the economy.
Ezeobi added, “We have introduced new initiatives into this year’s programme to ensure that the PNC continues to deliver greater value to participants and address emerging issues in the Nigerian content space.”
The Senior Manager, Zonal Coordination, NCDMB, Mr Adebayo Joseph, spoke on plans for the Youth PNC, while the leader of the DMG Events delegation, Ms Olamide Oloko, outlined the major activities planned for the conference.
Oloko said the new initiatives would include a Local Content Roundtable and a two-day programme for Local Community Contractors aimed at helping them scale up their operations.
She added, “The 2026 edition will also feature a breakout session to collate stakeholders’ views on the future direction of Nigerian Content over the next decade.”
Responding, Akpe assured the NCDMB and DMG Events of the state government’s continued support for the PNC Forum.
Akpe said, “The Bayelsa State Government is committed to ensuring that the event is successful and that participants have a conducive and secure environment throughout their stay in the state.”
He said the initiative demonstrated the practical impact of the programme and urged the board to sustain efforts aimed at creating opportunities for young people in the region.
Nigerian women allegedly being held at a deportation facility in India have cried out over their treatment, with a video circulating online showing some of them displaying injuries and alleging that security personnel flogged detainees.
The video began circulating online on Wednesday and shows a group of Nigerian women inside and around what they described as a deportation camp.
Several of the women pointed to marks, bruises and apparent injuries on their legs, feet and bodies while alleging that they were beaten with sticks or canes.
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“See my video, see my leg,” one of the women could be heard saying in the footage.
Another woman said, “Mona see wetin dem dey do for deportation camp.”
“Deportation camp, na dem flog person, see,” another woman said while showing what appeared to be an injury.
The women further alleged that female detainees were beaten with sticks.
“Dem dey use stick dey flog women, mona dey see am,” one of them said.
Another woman, while pointing at an injured detainee, said, “Dem carry cane flog o… see her body, dem flog am.”
The women also alleged that police officers carried sticks inside the facility.
“Police carry stick like say dem dey cut firewood,” one of the women said.
The footage shows the women appearing distressed as they moved through the facility and gathered in an outdoor area.
They repeatedly appealed to Nigerians to share the video and draw attention to their situation.
“Make una see… make this video trend/go,” one woman said.
“Make una share am,” another added.
One of the women also expressed frustration over their alleged experience at the facility, saying, “We don suffer, every time, every time.”
The footage comes amid ongoing concerns over Nigerians detained at the Lampur detention centre, also known as Sewa Sadan, in New Delhi.
Recall that in September, reports emerged that more than 200 Nigerians were being held at the facility, with some detainees alleging poor food, inadequate medical care and prolonged detention.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) subsequently defended its handling of the situation and said the Nigerian High Commission in India was seeking another amnesty period to facilitate the departure of Nigerians without proper immigration documentation.
No official response from the Indian authorities or the Nigerian government specifically addressing the allegations in the latest video had been made available at the time of publication.
Rights activist, public affairs analyst and Chief Executive Officer of The Dialogue, Shehu Muhammad, has questioned the continued occurrence of military aircraft crashes despite the huge budgetary allocations to the country’s defence and security sector.
Muhammad spoke while reacting to the recent Nigerian Navy aircraft crash in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Describing the incident as “one incident too many,” he recalled that Nigeria had recorded several military aircraft crashes involving the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army over the years.
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He said the recurring incidents had raised concerns among members of the public about the condition of military aircraft and the process through which military hardware is procured.
“People have begun to cast aspersions as to the honesty, sincerity, and openness in the purchase of military hardware, including airplanes,” Muhammad said.
According to him, the concerns are heightened by the substantial funds allocated to the military and other security agencies over the years.
“There are insinuations by the public that, after all, the military receive the highest amount of money from the budget year in, year out,” he said.
Muhammad also questioned the transparency of defence procurement, particularly the process of selecting contractors for the supply of military equipment.
He argued that the repeated crashes should prompt authorities to examine military aviation operations, aircraft procurement and the management of defence resources.
The latest crash occurred in Irele, Ondo State, with recovery efforts reportedly complicated by the difficult terrain around the crash site.
Muhammad said the latest incident should not be treated in isolation, but should lead to broader questions about military aviation safety and the management of resources allocated to the defence sector.
He called for greater transparency and accountability in the procurement and management of military hardware to restore public confidence.
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