As the Kogi State congress of the All Progressives Congress draws closer, signs of internal tension are becoming increasingly visible. Party loyalists and political observers warn that disagreement over zoning and tenure may trigger a fresh crisis within the ruling party in the state.
Since the historic merger of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) the Kogi Central Senatorial District has consistently produced the state chairman of the APC.
Hon. Hadi Ametuo, an Ebira politician from the Central District, emerged as the first chairman of the party in the state, while the late Abubakar Audu flew the party’s flag in the 2015 governorship election (following the 2014 primaries).
After the unfortunate demise of Prince Audu and the subsequent factionalisation of the party, the current chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Bello (Dollar), was appointed to stabilise the structure.
For nearly ten years, Abdullahi Dollar has remained at the helm of the party in Kogi State. However, murmurs within party ranks suggest that any move perceived as extending his tenure may be resisted.
Some political analysts who spoke with our reporter argued that retaining the chairmanship in Kogi Central may contradict the principle of equity, especially as the sitting governor also hails from the same senatorial district. “It would be undemocratic for the leadership to zone the chairmanship to the same district again,” one analyst said.
“Beyond zoning, imposing a chairman who has spent over a decade in office could deepen internal grievances.”
A chieftain of the party, who requested anonymity, warned that loyalists who laboured for the party’s success would not stand by if what he described as a “third-term agenda” materialises. “As a founding member who campaigned across the 21 local government areas and over 30 towns and villages in 2015, we will not fold our arms and watch the party turn into a limited liability company,” he declared. “We will resist any third-term agenda democratically.”
He further appealed to the national leadership of the APC to intervene promptly, cautioning that failure to address the brewing concerns could lead to serious factionalisation within the state chapter.
Efforts by our reporter to reach Hon. Abdullahi Dollar for comments proved unsuccessful. When this correspondent visited the party’s state secretariat along Ganaja Road in Lokoja, the office was locked at the time of the visit.
As the state congress approaches, uncertainty lingers. Whether party leaders will adopt consensus, zoning adjustments, or open contest remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that internal democracy — the very foundation of party cohesion — will be tested in the coming weeks.
Only time will tell whether the Kogi APC navigates this moment with unity or slides into another chapter of internal division.
– Ahmed Yusuf writes from Lokoja.
