President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has andorsed a major reshuffle within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the party’s crucial 2026 National Convention, removing Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, as Chairman of the National Convention Coordination Committee and replacing him with former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bello Masari.
The move, widely seen as strategic, signals a recalibration of internal party dynamics as the ruling party prepares for a convention that could shape its leadership structure and electoral outlook ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Governor Uzodinma, who also serves as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), was initially appointed to head the powerful convention coordination committee, a body tasked with overseeing planning, logistics, consensus-building, and political negotiations for the APC’s national convention. However, under the new arrangement approved by President Tinubu, Uzodinma has been reassigned to serve as Treasurer of the Convention Planning Committee, a role that, while still important, places him in a less visible leadership position. 
Hon. Bello Masari, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a seasoned party stalwart with deep roots in the APC’s predecessor structures, has now been named Chairman of the Convention Coordination Committee. Party insiders say Masari’s selection reflects President Tinubu’s desire to inject broader experience, balance, and perceived neutrality into the sensitive process of convention planning, especially at a time when internal alignments and ambitions are beginning to crystallize.
Beyond the leadership reshuffle, President Tinubu also approved a significant expansion of the Convention Planning Committee. The membership of the committee has been increased from 73 to 90, an adjustment that party sources say is intended to accommodate more stakeholders and reflect the APC’s diverse political, regional, and ideological composition. The expansion has brought in several prominent figures, including Senator Barry Mpigi and Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, alongside other top party chieftains.
The inclusion of Senator Barry Mpigi has particularly drawn attention within political circles. Mpigi, who represents Rivers South-East Senatorial District, is widely regarded as a close political ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a key figure in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before his appointment into Tinubu’s cabinet, has continued to play an influential role in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Mpigi’s addition to the convention committee is being interpreted by many observers as another signal of Tinubu’s broad-based political approach and his willingness to accommodate figures linked to different power centres.
