Kebbi APC Reconciles Warring Factions In Bunza, Sets Up 13-Member Unity C’ttee

The Kebbi State Stakeholders Reconciliation Committee has recorded an early breakthrough in its efforts to unite aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a resolution by contending factions in Bunza Local Government Area to bury their differences and work together for the party’s success in forthcoming elections.

The reconciliation meeting, held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, was the committee’s first assignment since it was constituted by the state governor to address internal disagreements and reconcile aggrieved party members across Kebbi State.

The outcome has been described by party stakeholders as an encouraging endorsement of the governor’s decision to pursue dialogue and reconciliation rather than confrontation in resolving disputes within the ruling party.

The committee is chaired by retired Major General Magoro, Galadiman Zuru, with retired Justice Suleiman Ambursa as Co-Chairman and Alhaji Abubakar Gari Malam as Deputy Chairman.

Engr. Ahmed Umar Farouk, Danmajen Gwandu, serves as Coordinator, while Hon. Rilwan Hussein Abarshi, a management consultant and strategic alliance expert, is the Secretary.

Stakeholders said the experience, neutrality and standing of the committee’s leadership encouraged members of the rival camps to express their grievances freely and participate in the reconciliation process.

The committee and its entourage began the engagement with a courtesy visit to the Sarkin Bunza Palace, in keeping with traditional protocol, where speeches of appreciation were exchanged.

The delegation subsequently moved to the Local Government Secretariat, where APC members openly raised concerns bordering on inclusion, internal party democracy and the equitable distribution of responsibilities and opportunities among party stakeholders.

The discussions continued later that evening with a special closed-door meeting in Birnin Kebbi, where representatives of the two contending groups were invited to present their positions.

Both sides were given equal opportunities to air their grievances under ground rules agreed upon at the beginning of the meeting. Justice Ambursa, who moderated the session, urged participants to demonstrate maturity, restraint and a genuine commitment to resolving their differences.

Sources at the meeting said longstanding party members and politicians who recently defected from other parties spoke candidly about their experiences and concerns.

The atmosphere reportedly became more conciliatory as the discussions progressed, with several leaders offering public apologies to colleagues, while others declared their willingness to forgive past disagreements and work towards rebuilding unity within the party.

At the end of the deliberations, participants agreed that all defectors must be fully integrated into the APC and given a sense of belonging in the party.

The meeting also constituted a 13-member reconciliation subcommittee, comprising representatives of both factions, to deepen the peace process, strengthen cooperation among party members and work towards securing electoral victories for the APC in Bunza.

Another major issue resolved at the meeting was the controversy surrounding the House of Assembly consensus arrangement, which had previously generated tension among party stakeholders.

Participants also commended Engr. Farouk for his earlier strategic engagement with opposition politicians, which they said helped create the conditions for bringing key opposition figures into the APC.

Reconciliatory photographs were taken at the end of the meeting, symbolising the willingness of the previously divided stakeholders to put their differences aside and pursue a common political objective.

Delivering the vote of thanks, one of the stakeholders praised the governor for constituting what he described as a strong and highly respected reconciliation team.

He said the committee had already demonstrated its capacity to address longstanding disagreements, expressing confidence that a united APC in Bunza would be difficult for political opponents to defeat.

He also called for greater unity among party members and urged the governor to entrust stakeholders with the responsibility of mobilising support and delivering the local government area for the APC in forthcoming elections.

Political observers described the Bunza outcome as significant, particularly because leaders who previously belonged to opposing camps have now agreed to serve together on a common subcommittee with shared responsibility for the party’s future.

They noted that achieving such an understanding at the committee’s first engagement represents an encouraging development for the reconciliation exercise, which is expected to extend to other local government areas across the state.

The approach adopted in Bunza, according to observers, offers a possible framework for subsequent engagements. It involves recognising the traditional institution, providing contending groups with equal opportunities to express their concerns, ensuring the full integration of defectors, involving party chairmen at different levels and establishing follow-up mechanisms to implement agreed resolutions.

The Kebbi State Stakeholders Reconciliation Committee is expected to take its engagement to other local government areas in the coming weeks, building on what members described as a promising beginning in Bunza.

The success of the broader exercise, however, will depend on how effectively the agreements reached are implemented and whether the renewed understanding translates into lasting cooperation among party members ahead of the forthcoming elections.