APC Leaders Who Have Shaped Nigerian Politics

Last checked: 13 October 2026. This article is a neutral explainer based on published reports. It does not endorse any party or candidate, and where accounts conflict it says so.

Parties are shaped by people. In the APC’s case, a small number of founders, chairmen, governors and presidents have set its direction, and many of them have since changed sides. This article profiles the figures most often named in reports, describes what the record shows about their role and notes where views differ. It is a survey, not a ranking.

Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari lost three presidential races before the APC existed. Joining the 2013 merger, he became the party’s candidate in 2015 and defeated President Goodluck Jonathan by almost 2.6 million votes, the first time an incumbent lost at the ballot box. He was re-elected in 2019 with about 15.2 million votes. He led the party’s government for eight years, and his support was decisive in leadership decisions: in 2018 he withdrew his backing from chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, and in 2020 he chaired the National Executive Committee that dissolved Adams Oshiomhole’s National Working Committee.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, led the ACN into the merger and later took the title of National Leader. He became president in 2023 and is the party’s candidate for 2027. His role is covered in detail in a separate article, but it is worth noting here that most analyses treat him as the party’s central figure, and that the choice of recent chairmen has been tied to his preferences.

Bisi Akande

The first national chairman, Akande was a former governor of Osun State and had served as deputy governor of Oyo State in 1982 and 1983. He is described as instrumental in forming the party. His memoir, published later, is a principal source for accounts of the 2014 negotiations over the vice-presidential slot.

John Odigie-Oyegun

A former governor of Edo State, he chaired the party from 2014 to 2018 and led it through the 2015 victory. His time ended after pressure from governors and other members, and Buhari did not defend him. Some reports in 2017 spoke of governors plotting his removal.

Yemi Osinbajo

A professor of law and former Lagos attorney general, Osinbajo was Buhari’s running mate in 2015 and vice president for eight years. Accounts differ about how he was chosen. Later, he was among the aspirants for the party’s 2023 ticket.

Adams Oshiomhole

A trade union leader who became governor of Edo State, Oshiomhole was elected national chairman by a voice vote of delegates on 23 June 2018. His tenure was contentious. He was suspended by his ward in 2019 and, after a court order in March 2020 and the NEC’s June 2020 decision, left the chair.

Mai Mala Buni

The governor of Yobe State headed the caretaker committee that ran the party from 2020 and organised the congresses that led to the 2022 convention. He was secretary of the 2026 convention committee, which shows how long some figures remain active.

Abdullahi Adamu, Abdullahi Ganduje and Nentawe Yilwatda

Adamu, a senator from Nasarawa State, was elected chairman at the March 2022 convention and resigned in 2023. Ganduje, a former Kano governor, took over through the NEC in August 2023 and resigned in 2025. Yilwatda, a former minister of humanitarian affairs, was ratified in July 2025 and re-elected in March 2026. ThisDay described his choice as a break from the tradition of appointing former governors.

Legislative and executive leaders

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Vice President Kashim Shettima were all at the 2026 convention, and the party’s influence in the National Assembly is a key part of how it governs. Earlier, Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, who led the Senate and House under the APC, left for the PDP in 2018, which cost the party its legislative majority.

Governors

Governors matter greatly in Nigerian parties because they control state machinery and delegates. In 2026, Imo’s Hope Uzodimma chaired the committee for the party’s convention, and Kwara’s AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was its vice-chairman, according to Within Nigeria. A separate article looks at governors in detail.

Former allies who now compete

Politics changes. Rotimi Amaechi, who was among the governors who joined in 2013, is now running mate to Atiku Abubakar on the African Democratic Congress ticket, according to BusinessDay. Atiku himself was in the APC at the time of the 2014 primaries before leaving. The party has also lost and gained figures through defections in both directions.

How to judge influence

1. Ask who held formal office, such as chairman, governor or presiding officer.
2. Ask who controlled delegates and funding.
3. Ask which decisions they shaped, for example the selection of a candidate or a chairman.
4. Compare their own account with those of others.

What we could not confirm

• Who is “most influential”, which depends on the criteria used.
• Private deals, which are known only through the accounts of participants.
• Current party membership of every figure named, since defections are frequent.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded the APC? It was formed by a merger, and many leaders are credited, including Buhari, Tinubu and Akande.

Who is the party’s national leader? Tinubu holds the title, as reported by commentators.

Are all former APC leaders still members? No. Several have joined opposition parties.

Key takeaways

The APC has been shaped by a few presidents, chairmen and governors, and by the movement of figures in and out of the party. Judging influence requires looking at office, control of delegates and decisions made, and treating contested accounts with care.

Sources checked

• Wikipedia entries on Adams Oshiomhole, John Odigie Oyegun and the APC
• Britannica and Within Nigeria on the 2026 convention
• ThisDay and Arise News on Yilwatda, Akande and the 2015 ticket
• BusinessDay on the 2027 candidates
• Channels Television coverage of the 2026 convention