The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared the way for President Bola Tinubu to contest the party’s forthcoming presidential primaries after waiving all screening requirements for him.
The decision was reached during the APC NWC’s 188th meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.
With the move, the President will no longer be required to appear physically before any screening panel, as the party has declared him “duly screened”.
In a statement issued by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, the party explained that the waiver was granted under Article 13.4 (xiii) and (xiv) of the APC constitution.
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According to Morka, the provisions empower the NWC to conduct primaries and grant waivers in exceptional situations considered to be in the party’s overall interest.
He said the party’s leadership maintained that asking the incumbent President to undergo another screening exercise would serve no practical purpose.
He noted that he had already been thoroughly vetted during the party’s 2022 presidential primary process.
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Morka said the decision reflected the growing support Tinubu continued to enjoy across key APC structures and stakeholders.
He said the NWC pointed to endorsements from the Progressive Governors Forum, members and leadership of the National Assembly, as well as resolutions reached during the APC National Summit held on 22 May 2025.
Confidence
According to him, party officials described the waiver as a vote of confidence in the President’s leadership and political standing within the APC.
He also said the decision was intended to simplify the primary process ahead of the next election cycle.
Morka said both Nigeria’s sitting President and the recognised national leader of the APC, Tinubu’s political record and previous clearance by the party were sufficient.
Morka added that requiring the President to appear before a screening committee again would be unnecessary and repetitive.
He insisted that the APC remained focused on preserving internal stability as preparations for future elections gathered momentum.
