North-Central APC Demands Chairmanship Return Ahead of June 2025 NEC Meeting
The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has called on President Bola Tinubu and party leaders to restore the APC National Chairmanship to the North-Central region during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 24, 2025. The Forum, led by Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, emphasized fairness and adherence to the party’s zoning principles, rejecting proposals to extend the tenure of Acting National Chairman Ali Bukar Dalori from Borno State (North-East).
In a statement released on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Abuja, Zazzaga, a former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 elections, argued that returning the chairmanship to the North-Central is both just and aligned with the party’s zoning framework. “There are several capable personalities in the North-Central who can lead the APC. We appeal to the President to choose any one of them to lead the party as National Chairman,”
Zazzaga stated. He stressed that sidelining the region would be a “betrayal” of its loyalty and contributions, particularly since the North-Central previously held the position through Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa State) until his resignation in July 2023.
The Forum highlighted the region’s electoral strength, noting that the APC secured 1,760,993 votes (41.3%) in the North-Central during the 2023 presidential election, the third-highest contribution after the South-West and North-West. “The North-Central deserves to produce the APC National Chairman due to the region’s contributions to the party,” Zazzaga said, pointing out that the APC governs five of the six North-Central states: Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger.
Following Abdullahi Ganduje’s resignation on June 27, 2025, Ali Bukar Dalori, Deputy National Chairman (North), assumed the acting chairmanship. The Forum rejected calls to extend Dalori’s tenure, arguing that the North-East, where Dalori hails from, underperformed in the 2023 election, with PDP’s Atiku Abubakar securing 1,741,846 votes (55.9%) compared to Tinubu’s 933,176 votes (29.9%). “Returning the chairmanship to the North-Central is not a favour but a rightful and deserved decision,” Zazzaga declared, dismissing concerns that a leadership change could destabilize the party. Instead, he argued, “Effecting this leadership change will not cause division—it will energize the party and demonstrate that fairness and merit still guide APC’s internal democracy.”
The North-Central’s demand comes amid intense political maneuvering as the APC prepares for the 2027 elections. The Forum’s push reflects broader calls for equitable representation, with the region citing its governance dominance and electoral loyalty. Zazzaga warned, “Any decision to the contrary will be viewed as a betrayal. It will be a terrible disappointment to stakeholders in the North-Central if the NEC fails to uphold fairness and equity.”
Public sentiment on X echoes this urgency, with one user noting, “With the way it’s unfolding, the next National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is expected to emerge from North Central” (source: public X post).
As the NEC meeting approaches, the decision on the chairmanship will test Tinubu’s commitment to party unity and regional balance. Will the North-Central reclaim the role, or will other zones prevail? Share your thoughts in the comments. Tell Us Your Mind
