As political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections gather pace, a youth advocacy group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio to persuade Senator Mohammed Sani Musa to vie for the party’s national chairmanship.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, the APC Youth Solidarity Network for Progressive Change argued that the party’s future depends on credible leadership at its helm. The group described Senator Musa, who represents Niger East in the National Assembly, as a unifying figure capable of stabilising the party and positioning it for success in the next electoral cycle.

The statement, signed by the group’s National President, Gideon Oche, urged Tinubu and Akpabio to facilitate a “credible internal succession process” within the APC, warning that failure to address the leadership vacuum at the party’s secretariat could undermine cohesion and confidence.

Oche noted that “the 2027 elections are not as distant as they appear,” stressing that whoever assumes the role of national chairman will be instrumental in either advancing the party’s strength or presiding over its decline.

“Senator Sani Musa is not just a ranking senator. He embodies the rare combination of institutional knowledge, generational bridge-building, and strategic leadership. These are qualities the APC needs at this pivotal time,” the group said.

Musa, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, has gained a reputation for his work on electoral reform and technological development. According to the group, his legislative experience and professional background place him in a strong position to steer the party through complex political terrain.

The youth organisation argued that the APC’s dominance in Nigerian politics cannot be sustained by electoral victories alone, but requires the consolidation of internal structures and party-building processes.

“Senator Musa’s calm, deliberate leadership style and national acceptance make him the ideal candidate to restore credibility to the APC secretariat and renew public trust in the party’s internal democracy,” the statement read.

The group warned that political patronage and elite compromises must not be allowed to dictate the choice of the party’s next national chairman, calling instead for merit, national consideration, and institutional renewal to guide the process.

“We urge President Tinubu and Senate President Akpabio to encourage Senator Sani Musa to view the chairmanship not as a political ambition but as a national duty. He must be called upon to serve,” the statement concluded.

The current leadership vacuum follows the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje as the APC’s national chairman, prompting calls from various quarters for new leadership to reposition the party ahead of 2027.