The North-Central Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally thrown its weight behind former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, as its preferred candidate for the position of APC National Chairman.
In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, Forum Chairman Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga said the decision followed “extensive consultations” among party stakeholders in the North-Central geopolitical zone.
Titled “Why Al-Makura Deserves to be APC National Chairman”, the statement emphasized Al-Makura’s strong ties to Nasarawa State, the same state as former National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu, whose resignation in July 2023 left the region without representation at the top of the party’s leadership.
The endorsement comes just a day after the Forum publicly demanded that the chairmanship position be returned to the North-Central, in line with APC’s existing zoning formula.
“After extensive deliberations among stakeholders in the North-Central region, the North-Central APC Forum has decided to endorse Senator Tanko Al-Makura for the position of APC National Chairman,” the statement read.
“This is in furtherance of our demand that the position of National Chairman should return to the North-Central in line with the APC’s zoning arrangement.”
Zazzaga recalled that Adamu had been selected based on this arrangement during the APC’s National Convention in March 2022.
However, his premature exit opened the door for former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to assume the role in August 2023.
The Forum also stressed that Al-Makura is a key representative of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc, one of the three legacy parties that merged to form the APC, unlike the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), which have both produced national chairmen in the past.
“Senator Tanko Al-Makura was a two-term governor whose clout and experience are undeniable assets. Both former and sitting governors regard him as one of their own. As a former Senator, he is also seen as integral to the legislature,” the Forum stated.
It also noted Al-Makura’s statesmanlike conduct during the 2022 convention, where he stepped aside in favor of a consensus that brought Adamu into leadership.
“Additionally, during the APC National Convention in 2022, he was among the chairmanship aspirants who graciously accepted the consensus decision that brought Abdullahi Adamu to the role of National Chairman,” the statement noted.
Highlighting his strong credentials, the Forum praised Al-Makura’s long-standing loyalty to the APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing him as “a dedicated and unifying figure capable of strengthening the party’s leadership and internal cohesion.”
The statement further emphasized Al-Makura’s wealth of experience in managing party affairs, citing his leadership of several key committees and assignments within the APC.
Among the roles highlighted were his chairmanship of the Ekiti State APC Primary Election Committee in 2018, which led to the emergence of former Governor Kayode Fayemi, and his service as Chairman of the North-East Zone Reconciliation Committee in 2018.
He also participated in the Baba Bisi Akande-led Reconciliation Committee in 2020.
“His rich political experience spans decades. He was Youth Leader in Plateau State for the National Party of Nigeria in 1979, State Secretary in Plateau State for the National Republican Convention in 1989, a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party in 1999, Governor under the Congress for Progressive Change in 2011, a pioneer member and signatory to the merger that formed the APC in 2013, and an APC Senator in 2019,” the statement outlined.
The Forum also recalled Al-Makura’s instrumental role earlier in 2025 in keeping the CPC bloc united within the APC, despite internal tensions and speculations about potential defection to opposition alliances.
Describing him as both a “bridge builder and advocate for inclusivity,” the Forum highlighted his advocacy for Nigeria’s disability community, which is estimated to be over 20 million strong.
“As someone living with a disability himself, he has been a strong ally of the community,” the statement concluded.
