Barring any last-minute change of strategy, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have finalised arrangements to strengthen the party’s leadership structure and ensure reforms at the Presidency.

The Guardian learned from reliable sources that, apart from the offices of the National Chairman and Vice Chairman, all other positions on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) would be rotated across geopolitical zones to ensure broad representation and accommodate the interests of state governors who recently joined the party.

It was also noted that despite the recent assertions by the Hon Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, some review has been planned regarding the Presidential ticket and information management at the Presidency.

This is as the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), headed by the Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, declared the forum’s preparedness to unite with the party’s national leadership to provide responsible leadership communication and collective discipline, thereby strengthening public confidence in the Party’s democratic processes.

Recall that in a communique issued by the PGF after its extraordinary meeting at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge, the governors reiterated their “commitment to deepening internal democracy, strengthening party structures, and advancing reforms that promote transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness within the APC across all levels of the federation.”

Apart from reviewing and endorsing the proposed timelines and operational framework for the forthcoming Ward, Local Government, State, Zonal Congresses, and the National Convention, which was earlier approved by NEC, the PGF stressed the imperatives of transparent and coordinated financial management in the conduct of congresses and conventions.

According to the PGF, those steps are crucial to “ensuring fairness, consistency, and accountability across all states, including those without APC-governed administrations,” even as it disclosed plans to begin strategic engagements and state visits to reinforce grassroots structures, starting in Taraba State.

However, checks by The Guardian revealed that the issue of swapping NWC positions among the six geopolitical zones was deferred pending President Tinubu’s return from his official trip to Turkiye.

A member of the NWC confided in The Guardian that altering the zoning of the party’s functionaries has been left for the President’s input, affirming the likelihood of the presidential running mate moving to the North West and the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) going to the North East.

“These likely movements made it imperative that Mr President, who insisted on Prof Nentawe Yilwatda remaining the chairman, should apply his wisdom and political sagacity to distribute other positions in collaboration with the governors.

“It is only when the President returns that we will know which positions are going to be swapped between North and South and their micro-zones. The party wants to ensure a seamless harmonisation of positions with recently defected governors,” he stated.