APC Convention Adopts Consensus Leadership Selection Amid

APC Convention Adopts Consensus Leadership Selection Amid New Electoral Act, Tight Timetable As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares to hold its national convention in Abuja, the party has opted to adopt a consensus mode of leadership selection a move legal experts and political watchers say is being influenced by provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the compressed timetable for party primaries. The party’s leadership confirmed that, ahead of the convention scheduled for March 27 28, delegates will select national officers through a consensus arrangement rather than contested elections. Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity of the APC National Convention, Mrs Mary Ikoku, stated on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily that the party would adopt consensus for choosing its officials, although she noted that decisions on primary methods for candidates at other levels may vary by locality.

Political analysts say the shift towards consensus reflects broader strategic adjustments by political parties following reforms in the Electoral Act 2026, which abolished the delegates system previously used in primaries. Under the new law, parties must either use consensus arrangements or conduct direct primaries where all members vote to choose candidates.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) tight electoral calendar part of preparations for the 2027 general election has made direct primaries difficult to organise within the limited timeframe, prompting many parties, including the APC, to favour consensus nomination as the more practical option. Critics argue that reliance on consensus may weaken internal party democracy since it often limits competition and may favour powerful party figures over ordinary members. Political commentators have described the trend as potentially entrenching a “coronation” culture, where candidates are anointed by elites without genuine contest. In a sign of how consensus practices are already affecting outcomes, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, led APC stakeholders from the North Central zone in publicly endorsing President Bola Tinubu as the party’s sole 2027 presidential candidate during a zonal meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State. Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, speaking at the APC South‑South Zonal Congress in Asaba, defended the party’s use of consensus, saying it will help foster unity and strengthen the APC ahead of the next general election.

Observers warn that widespread adoption of consensus selection could limit opportunities for grassroots participation in party affairs and heighten the influence of party elites and governors in deciding outcomes of both leadership and candidacy. This, critics argue, may further marginalise aspirants who do not have the backing of powerful sponsors within party hierarchies.