Thursday, July 9, 2026

APC Convention: Buhari, governors hold showdown on Sunday

Plateau state governor Simon Lalong said the party would hold its convention next month and expressed optimism that the exercise would be successful.

• January 8, 2022
Buhari and Lalong used to illustrate the story
Buhari and Lalong used to illustrate the story

President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will on Sunday meet to finalise decisions on the party’s drawn out national convention.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau, who doubles as the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, disclosed this after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday in Abuja.

“I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but the visit to the President has already assured us and you know that there is already a notice that all the governors are meeting on Sunday. By Sunday we will tell you when we’re doing the convention,” Mr Lalong said.

This comes amidst calls for the postponement of the convention earlier slated for February 2022. Some party chieftains had also feared that postponing the convention puts the party at risk of losing power to its major opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, Mr Lalong announced that the party would hold its convention next month and expressed optimism that the exercise would be successful.

“You know, when a convention is coming there are fears here and there, some people will tell you it will work, it will not work,” the governor said.

“We’ve taken a date already. I think our first date before Christmas we said we’re going to do a convention in February and we are still working for the convention, as far as I’m concerned, except things change from another angle. But as far as I’m concerned, we’re working for our convention in February,” he asserted.

“These are things that the President was raising his fears about, but we’ve already given him assurances that nothing will stop us from having a very peaceful election.

On the impending litigation that might mar the holding of the proposed convention and the chances of the party, Mr Lalong dismissed such fears.

“There are procedures for holding court processes. Many of the court processes were there when we set up the caretaker committee, but up to this moment, if you go to take a census of some of the court proceedings, you will realise that a lot of them have been resolved out of court.

“But we must not wait to resolve all court processes before you go to the convention. I don’t think so, because there are also machineries for resolving court processes, even after the convention,” the governor said.

(NAN) 

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Nigerian farmers

Agriculture

Agrifood systems can drive employment expansion in Nigeria, other African nations: Report

The Malabo Montpellier Panel has called on governments across African countries to strengthen their agrifood systems to create employment opportunities for young people.

Farmers used to illustrate story

Agriculture

Bauchi agro-chemical dealers make brisk business

Agro-chemical dealers in Bauchi are recording high sales due to increased patronage occasioned by the cropping season.

Heading 5

U.S. govt launches probe into Argentine FA’s alleged $300 million transfers

Tomas Regalado, an ambassador for the AFA in North America, said, “Investigative measures alone do not determine responsibility or guilt.”

Flood

Health

Flooding: Lagos removes illegal structures in Iju-Ishaga enforcement

The Lagos government removed illegal structures along Makanjuola Street in Iju-Ishaga as part of its ongoing environmental enforcement exercise.

Abisoye Coker-Odusote

NationWide

NIMC says new act enhances data identity protection of Nigerians

NIMC’s director-general, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, says the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 has significantly strengthened Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

Tunji Disu

NationWide

Public trust remains greatest asset, IGP Disu tells police chiefs

The inspector-general of police has urged global law enforcement leaders to ensure that technological innovations strengthen public trust, transparency and human rights.