East Java PWNU Officially Tasks Gus Kikin to Run for PBNU Chairman

The East Java Regional Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PWNU) has officially tasked its chairman, KH Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, known as Gus Kikin, to stand as a candidate for Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) at the 35th Congress, which will be held in Jombang. The Vice Rais Syuriyah of PWNU East Java, KH Abdul Matin, stated in Surabaya on Tuesday that the decision was the result of internal board discussions and not Gus Kikin’s personal ambition. ‘PWNU East Java has tasked Kiai Haji Abdul Hakim Mahfudz to be a candidate for Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board at the 35th Congress,’ said KH Abdul Matin. He explained that the decision was reached through a series of meetings of the Syuriyah and Tanfidziyah Daily Board of PWNU East Java, which were held in stages, followed by the formation of a small team to finalise the nomination proposal. Prior to the decision, PWNU also sought the views of Nahdlatul Ulama branch boards (PCNU) across East Java. As a result, 45 PCNUs in the province declared their support for the assignment of Gus Kikin as a candidate for PBNU Chairman. ‘Alhamdulillah, all PCNUs throughout East Java have agreed to stand united in supporting Kiai Abdul Hakim Mahfudz as a candidate for PBNU Chairman,’ he said. Abdul Matin stressed that the nomination was based on several organisational considerations. One of them is that Gus Kikin is considered to have a commitment to returning the organisation’s direction to the Qanun Asasi formulated by the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama, Hadratussyaikh KH Hasyim Asy’ari. Furthermore, Gus Kikin is said to have a vision for building a more harmonious organisational governance, strengthening Islamic brotherhood and Nahdlatul Ulama brotherhood, and maintaining the unity of NU members in carrying out the organisation’s programmes. PWNU East Java also assessed that Gus Kikin has extensive leadership experience, both in Islamic boarding school environments, the business world, and within the Nahdlatul Ulama structure. He has previously served as a PBNU board member, currently chairs PWNU East Java, and has undergone the cadre formation process, which is a leadership requirement within NU. According to Abdul Matin, this experience is an important asset for bringing NU forward as a modern organisation that remains rooted in Islamic boarding school values and scholarly traditions. In addition to leadership aspects, PWNU East Java also considers Gus Kikin’s economic independence as an added value, as it is believed he can strengthen the organisation without personal interests.