Public Report on the Constitutional Tenure of the Outgoing APC Chairman in Kogi State and the Need to Protect Party Stability
We write as concerned citizens and committed supporters of democratic order within our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Our intention is not to attack any individual but to raise a sincere and necessary concern that touches on constitutional compliance, party unity, and the protection of our collective political future.
At the heart of this issue is the tenure status and eligibility of the Kogi State APC Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Bello.
The APC Constitution is clear on matters of tenure. Article 17 provides that all party officers elected or appointed into the organs of the party shall serve for a period of four (4) years and may be re-elected or re-appointed for another period of four (4) years only. It further states that no member shall serve in the same office for more than eight (8) years continuously, except a person who first came into office by filling a vacancy or whose tenure was truncated by a decision of a party organ and not on grounds of disciplinary action.
These provisions were designed to protect internal democracy, prevent the concentration of power, and encourage leadership renewal within the party.
Available public records show that Hon. Abdullahi Bello emerged as Kogi State APC Chairman in 2018. From that time to date, he has remained in that office in one capacity or another. In October 2021, he was again elected during the official state congress. With the extension of executives’ tenure to December 2025, his continuous service from 2018 will amount to approximately seven and a half (7½) years.
By every reasonable interpretation, this places him very close to the constitutional eight-year limit set by Article 17. There is no publicly known declaration that his 2018 emergence was solely to fill a vacancy under conditions that would exempt him from the constitutional count. There is also no record of a formal truncation of his tenure that would reset the tenure calculation.
This is why clarity is necessary.
Nigeria has witnessed painful political consequences in several states where internal party disputes and procedural irregularities were ignored until they escalated into legal battles. Kogi State itself has experienced tensions in the past, and we must not allow any action that could reopen old wounds or create fresh vulnerabilities.
If leadership eligibility is later challenged in court and found to be inconsistent with the party constitution, the ripple effects could extend to congresses, primaries, and nominations conducted under such leadership. This is not speculation; it is a risk that responsible stakeholders must consider seriously.
Our concern goes beyond Kogi State. Any internal crisis that weakens the party structure in a strategic state can indirectly affect national cohesion and distract from the work of governance at the national level.
Importantly, this intervention is aimed at protecting the leadership of the party at both the national and state levels and safeguarding the collective efforts of the APC. Any insistence on returning an outgoing chairman whose tenure is already approaching or has reached constitutional limits could expose the party to avoidable legal and political risks. Such actions may unfairly place pressure on the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ahmed Ododo, despite their broader responsibilities to governance and party unity. More critically, opposition parties are closely watching for loopholes that could be exploited through post-election court proceedings to challenge APC victories and truncate the party’s hard-earned successes. Preventing such avoidable exposure is therefore essential to preserving party stability and protecting our electoral mandate.
We therefore state clearly that, as far as publicly available facts indicate, Hon. Abdullahi Bello has almost completed the maximum tenure allowed under Article 17 of the APC Constitution. A return beyond what the constitution permits would raise serious legal and moral questions and could generate avoidable tension within the party.
Leadership transition is not a loss. It is a demonstration of institutional maturity and respect for rules.
We respectfully call on the appropriate national authorities within the APC to provide clear and authoritative guidance on this matter so that there is no room for confusion, speculation, or division.
The strength of the APC lies not in personalities but in its constitution, its discipline, and its unity. Protecting those principles today will secure the future of the party tomorrow.
Signed:
Concerned APC Stakeholders
Copied:
The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
National Chairman, APC
Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello
Executive Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ahmed Ododo
All Party Stakeholders