Elected Rais Aam approves five candidates for PBNU Chairman
Jombang (ANTARA) - The elected Rais Aam of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), K.H. Miftachul Akhyar, has approved five candidates for PBNU Chairman who have met the requirements in the selection process at the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Congress in Jombang, East Java.
The approval marks the end of the PBNU Chairman candidate screening stage, and the selection now enters the consultative stage to determine the PBNU Chairman for the coming period.
“Alhamdulillah, the elected Rais Aam, in accordance with the election rules. After we met with the elected Rais Aam, the five candidates we proposed were approved by the Rais Aam both verbally and in writing,” said the chair of Plenary Session V of the 35th NU Congress, Prof. Dr. H. Ganefri, during the session at the Multipurpose Building in Tambakberas, Jombang, on Monday.
The consultation was held at the ancestral home of Kiai Abdul Wahab Chasbullah in Tambakberas, Jombang, East Java, on Monday morning.
“Next, they (the elected Rais Aam and eight AHWA members) will deliberate to determine our new chairman. Let us pray that the name of the new chairman emerges quickly,” he said.
The five candidates who have met the requirements were determined based on the vote count in the previous process. K.H. Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, known as Gus Kikin, received 472 votes.
K.H. Zulfa Mustofa received 262 votes, K.H. Abdussalam Sochib 261 votes, K.H. Yahya Cholil Staquf, known as Gus Yahya, 258 votes, and K.H. Abdul Ghaffar Rozin 155 votes.
Candidates must also have never been subject to organisational sanctions against the leadership they headed, and must obtain the approval of the Rais Aam.
From the dialogue results, all candidates had the required documents, but some were incomplete. The names were then submitted to the AHWA for approval.
Meanwhile, Gus Kikin expressed gratitude for the support he received. He said that whoever advances is ready to complete any missing documents.
K.H. Zulfa Mustofa admitted he did not expect the number of votes he received.
He added that over the past five years he had tried to communicate frequently with the provincial, district and overseas branch leadership ranks.
He also said he already had plans for the 35th anniversary. In addition to continuing the previous leadership’s programmes, he has also printed his vision and mission in a book.
“Of course, what I have conveyed, my promises in my vision and mission, I have printed a book called Panca Khidmat, and I will carry it out. In general, my principle is to continue all the programmes that have been carried out by the previous leadership so that there is continuity. And I will continue to add better programmes,” he said.
The 35th NU Congress took place from 27 to 31 August 2026. The event was opened by President Prabowo Subianto, and the closing will also be attended by President Prabowo.