President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, members of the Federal Executive Council, 32 state governors, and over 8,400 delegates have converged on Abuja for the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which begins on Friday and continues on Saturday.
The high-profile gathering is expected to attract party stakeholders from across all levels, including national, zonal, state, and ward structures. New members of the party’s leadership are also expected to emerge during the exercise.
Speaking during a world media briefing held in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the convention carries the theme, ‘Unity in Progress: Consolidating the Renewed Hope Agenda.’ According to him, the theme reflects the party’s journey, present position, and future direction.
He stated, “The convention hopes to bring together delegates from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory for policy engagement, leadership elections, and a formal transition to a new set of party executives, presenting both decision-making platforms and also a moment of reflection, consolidation, and direction-setting for the next phase of our journey.
“We are expecting a total of 8,453 delegates. These are the delegates that we are expecting to come from across the 36 states of the Federation to Abuja.
“The forthcoming National Convention marks another milestone in our journey, reflecting both the continuity of our values and the renewal of our leadership. It offers an opportunity to highlight the party’s achievements under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and to show how his guiding vision is being transformed into tangible outcomes for Nigerians.’’
Idris added, “The Renewed Hope Agenda remains central. It guides policy direction, national development, and engagement with Nigerians’ aspirations. The convention is, therefore, also an opportunity to deepen this agenda within our leadership and institutional structure, ensuring that the party and government remain aligned in purpose.”
He assured that all arrangements have been finalised for a smooth exercise at Eagle Square in Abuja. He noted that committees set up for the convention had completed their assignments to guarantee order and coordination.
Chairman of the Convention Central Coordinating Committee and former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, also expressed confidence in the party’s readiness. He said the APC operates a zoning system for its offices and denied knowledge of any legal action capable of disrupting the convention.
Masari stated, “We assure Nigerians and even those outside Nigeria that the APC is very ready for the 2026 convention, which will start in the early hours of tomorrow (today).”
He added, “Like I said, and I will repeat, APC is a responsible party in Nigeria. In line with federal character, all offices are zoned. If you come to buy a form, and you are buying a form, only buy the form zoned to your zone.
‘’When there is zoning in A, and you are in Z, and you want to buy a form in A, we suspect that you are only there to create confusion. So, who likes confusion? The way our country is, the structures of the party are on a zonal basis. The NWC members are distributed according to zones.’’
“So, if you are contesting for an office that is not zoned to your zone, how can you say you are being democratic? We suspect that these kinds of people are interested, maybe as agents, to come and destroy our party, which we will not agree to. And I know Nigerians will not agree.
“We are not aware that anybody has gone to court. We have not been served. I am sure you know we are a responsible party. If we are served, we will take notice of that. Can you pay for something that you don’t have? You can only hold something that you have,” he stressed.
Despite the assurances, some aggrieved members have raised concerns over alleged exclusion. A party chieftain, Fubara Dagogo, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja over his exclusion from the South-South Zonal Congress held in Asaba, after paying N5.1 million for a nomination form. Another member, Paul Oyiborume, also made similar allegations, although he has yet to file a suit.
Dagogo, however, said he would pursue internal resolution mechanisms rather than seek an injunction to halt the convention.
“At the moment, I’m still exploring internal party mechanisms to resolve the issue. I believe the issue will be looked into and justice will take its course because the party’s internal mechanism is key to conflict resolution.
“Inasmuch as one feels displeasure or feels things are not in accordance with what the Constitution says, one has to look at where one can express one’s displeasure. So, I believe that the party mechanism is looking into the issues for justice to take its course.”
On his part, Taraba State Governor and Chairman of the Convention Appeals Committee, Agbu Kefas, expressed optimism about a hitch-free process.
He said, “I don’t think we are envisaging any problem, but we always have to be prepared. These are processes and procedures for this kind of election.
“We are going to the convention, and you cannot completely rule out anything. But with what we have done so far, I think we will have a very hitch-free exercise.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has directed civil servants working within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja to work from home during the convention period. The directive followed anticipated heavy movement around Eagle Square, the venue of the event.
Authorities also announced the closure of access roads leading to the Federal Secretariat Complex from March 27 to March 28, 2026, citing security and logistics arrangements for the convention.
In the build-up to the event, hotels across the Federal Capital Territory recorded full bookings as delegates and party supporters arrived in large numbers. Major facilities such as Transcorp Hilton, NICON Luxury Hotel, Hotel Continental, and Reiz Hotel were filled to capacity, while other accommodations also witnessed high demand.
The APC convention is expected to shape the party’s internal structure and influence preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
