adminThe All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing a potential crisis as indigenous contractors threaten to disrupt its upcoming national convention over massive unpaid debts.
The All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) has given the Federal Government a 48-hour ultimatum to release N150 billion or face protests that could derail the party’s major event.
Speaking during a resumed protest in Abuja on Tuesday, AICAN’s National President, Jackson Nwosu, expressed frustration over the government’s failure to honor financial commitments despite previous agreements.
Nwosu revealed that out of the total debt exceeding N1 trillion, the government has only released N21 billion between December 2025 and January 2026, following earlier demonstrations by the association.
“The government paid only N21bn to AICAN members during this period. While they owe us over N1tn in total, we are currently demanding an immediate payment of N150bn,” Nwosu stated.
He issued a stern warning: “If the payment is not made within the next two days, the APC national convention planned for Abuja will not hold peacefully. We will converge at the venue to protest and expose this government’s deceptive practices to the world.”
The AICAN president disclosed that negotiations are currently ongoing with officials from the Ministry of Finance, with contractors insisting on direct payment without bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Babatunde Seun, the association’s National Secretary, painted a grim picture of the situation, revealing that many contractors are suffering severe financial distress due to the unpaid debts.
“Since the payment schedule was finalized in December 2025, we have only received N21bn. Many of our members are facing life-threatening situations because of what the Federal Government owes us,” Seun lamented.
He attributed some of the payment delays to the extension of the 2024 budget implementation period from December 2025 to March 2026, noting that no additional disbursements have been made since the January protests.
In a particularly disturbing revelation, Seun recounted how one contractor allegedly died due to inability to access medical care despite being owed over N100 million by the government.
The National Secretary also rejected any plans to route payments through the Debt Management Office, insisting that contractors prefer direct settlement of their verified claims.
AICAN estimates the total outstanding debt to indigenous contractors at approximately N1.15 trillion and has called for urgent intervention to alleviate members’ suffering.
With the APC national convention scheduled for March 27-28, 2026, in Abuja, the ruling party now faces a race against time to resolve the contractors’ grievances and avoid potential embarrassment at its flagship event.
