No Individual Owns APC, Not Even Tinubu – Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has declared that no single individual owns the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the ruling party belongs collectively to its members, including President Bola Tinubu.

Kalu made the statement on Wednesday in Umuahia while addressing party stakeholders during the APC ward congress in Abia State. His remarks came amid ongoing efforts by the party to strengthen internal cohesion and resolve lingering disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking as the APC leader in Abia State, Kalu urged party members to embrace unity, discipline, and inclusiveness, warning that internal divisions could undermine the party’s electoral prospects. According to him, the APC’s success depends on collective ownership and shared responsibility rather than the dominance of any single individual or faction.

“No one man owns the party,” Kalu said. “Not Benjamin Kalu, not anybody else. The APC belongs to all of us. That is the spirit in which this congress is being held, and that is also the vision of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He explained that the party’s immediate focus in Abia is to eliminate internal wrangling and build a united front capable of competing effectively in future elections. Kalu emphasized that harmony within the party structure—from ward to state level—is essential for sustainable growth and electoral victory.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the APC had earlier rescheduled its ward and local government congresses to February 25 and February 26 after resolving internal conflicts that had stalled the process. The decision followed consultations by the party’s national leadership aimed at restoring unity and ensuring an orderly congress.

Kalu disclosed that a previous attempt to conduct the congress in Abia was cancelled due to the emergence of multiple nomination forms, which violated directives issued by the party’s national headquarters. He said the leadership subsequently resolved that only a harmonised congress would be acceptable, as it would promote inclusiveness and reduce factionalism.

“What we are doing now is a congress of harmonisation,” Kalu explained. “It is a process where stakeholders are given a sense of belonging in deciding who will lead from their wards to the local governments and eventually to the state. It is about making everyone feel relevant and important in the affairs of the party.”

He further revealed that during a recent meeting with President Tinubu, the President himself reinforced the idea of collective ownership of the APC. According to Kalu, Tinubu reportedly told him that he prefers to describe the APC as “our party” rather than “my party,” underscoring his belief that the party transcends individual ambition.

In a separate remark, the Chairman of the APC Congress Committee, Emmanuel Goar, assured stakeholders of a peaceful, transparent, and credible exercise. Goar, a former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and former member of the House of Representatives, urged party members to cooperate fully with the committee to ensure the success of the congress.

He said the committee, constituted by the party’s national leadership, would work closely with the state congress committee to deliver a process that reflects the will of party members. According to him, the harmonisation approach had already been agreed upon by stakeholders as the best way to move the party forward in Abia.

NAN also reported that nomination forms were later distributed across the state’s 184 wards to facilitate the conduct of the ward congress. The party is expected to proceed with its local government congress on Thursday, February 26, as part of preparations for larger electoral contests ahead.

Kalu’s remarks have since sparked reactions among party supporters and critics alike, particularly against the backdrop of widespread perceptions that the APC is heavily influenced by powerful political figures. Nonetheless, the Deputy Speaker maintained that the party’s long-term stability depends on shared ownership, internal democracy, and mutual respect among its members.