THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has moved to quell speculation of internal disunity and high-profile defections with the reappearance of its former National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in preparations for the party’s 2026 National Convention.
News Point Nigeria reports that the APC on Monday unveiled a 73-member Central Coordination Committee for the convention, scheduled for March 2026, with Adamu listed among its members, an inclusion that has sparked widespread political interest.
Adamu’s return is significant, coming against the backdrop of his 2023 declaration that he was withdrawing from partisan politics, citing what he described as an “allergy” to political activities. More recently, rumours had gone viral on social media alleging that the former chairman had defected from the APC to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In what many observers see as a deliberate attempt to shut down those claims, the APC leadership included Adamu as number 32 on the convention committee list, signalling that he remains firmly within the party’s fold.
Only last month, the APC in Nasarawa State, Adamu’s political base—issued a formal rebuttal of the defection claims. The party dismissed reports linking him to the ADC, explaining that a widely circulated photograph allegedly showing Adamu at an ADC event was, in fact, taken during the APC’s nationwide e-membership registration exercise.
The Central Coordination Committee will be chaired by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma.
He will be assisted by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as Vice Chairman, while Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni will serve as Secretary.
The composition of the committee underscores the growing dominance of APC governors in steering the party’s transitional and strategic processes ahead of the national convention, which is expected to shape the party’s leadership structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Beyond the Abdullahi Adamu controversy, the committee reflects what party insiders describe as a “big tent” strategy by the National Working Committee (NWC), blending long-standing party heavyweights with influential new entrants.
Prominent figures on the list include Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, alongside several governors who recently defected to the APC.
Among the new entrants are Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, all of whom have officially aligned with the ruling party in recent months.
