The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced its intention to utilize a consensus model for the election of its national leadership during the upcoming party convention, which is set for March 27 and 28, 2026, in Abuja.
Mrs. Mary Ikoku, the Assistant Secretary of Media and Publicity for the APC National Convention 2026, shared these details during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
When questioned about whether this consensus approach would extend to elective positions during primaries, she noted that a definitive answer was unavailable because “politics is local” and party leaders may shift strategies as needed.
“APC, for this convention, I am aware and can say that the party is adopting consensus for this convention. As to whether they are adopting consensus for elective positions, I do not have an answer to that because politics is local,” Ikoku explained.
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She further added, “So, I believe that, at the end of the day, when it comes to the issue of elective positions, the persons who would emerge aren’t often what you would want to make consensus in every space.”
Addressing the requirements of the Electoral Act, which mandates online member registration and defines specific candidate selection methods, Ikoku suggested that complaints from the opposition reflect a lack of readiness.
She stated, “We have an electoral law that defines the models for these elections. Direct primaries and consensus have been allowed, while indirect primary has been taken out.”
She continued by challenging the opposition’s concerns: “That is the current law of the nation, passed and assented to. Now, why do you think other political parties will have issues with that? That would be to say there are levels of unpreparedness of these political parties.”
Ikoku emphasized that any serious party should be proactive, noting, “Any political party that is worth its salt should not wait till election season to start preparing for the run for office and all of these congresses. It is something they would have planned ahead of time. So, when you are not proactive as a party, these kinds of situations can challenge you deeply.”
In preparation for the convention, the APC conducted screenings on Tuesday for several aspirants vying for spots within the National Working Committee (NWC).
Among those screened were the National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary hopeful, Ajibola Basiru. Several current NWC members are also seeking to keep their roles, including National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, Deputy National Chairman (North) Ali Bukar Dalori, National Legal Adviser Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, National Woman Leader Mary Alile Idele, and National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka.
