Oyiborume Paul Yovwe, aspirant for the position of APC National Secretary, has raised concerns over being denied the party’s nomination forms despite paying the required fee ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for March 27–28. Yovwe, speaking at the party’s national headquarters, claimed he was prevented from converting his payment teller to an official receipt.
Yovwe alleged that he was informed the National Secretary position had already been zoned and reserved for the current officeholder, Ajibola Basiru from Osun State. He described the development as unfair, questioning how a sitting party official could be guaranteed a position without an open contest. “How can someone be a judge in his own case?” he asked, lamenting the lack of transparency in the process.
In response, a source close to the APC National Working Committee (NWC) explained that the zoning arrangement, approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC), limits contests for positions already assigned to specific zones. The NWC clarified that the National Secretary role is zoned to the South West, while the South-South zone is allocated the National Publicity Secretary position, micro-zoned to Delta State.
The NWC, through National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, reiterated that aspirants must strictly adhere to the existing zoning arrangements as published in the APC 2026 Schedule of Nationwide Congresses and Related Activities. The party emphasized that the guidelines are binding for all aspirants purchasing and submitting forms for national offices ahead of the convention.
Meanwhile, women stakeholders from across Nigeria expressed strong support for APC National Women Leader, Mary Alile-Idele. Through the Renewed Hope Women’s Network, they contributed N2.6 million to secure her nomination forms, praising her leadership, grassroots mobilization, and commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
