Gus Ipul Says Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar Enters PBNU Chairmanship Race

Secretary General of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), who also serves as Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, widely known as Gus Ipul, has named Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar as a figure worthy of entering the race for the PBNU chairmanship. This development comes ahead of the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama Congress, also referred to as the Centennial Congress.

Speaking in Kediri, East Java, on Tuesday (16/6/2026), Gus Ipul revealed that Nasaruddin Umar’s name has begun to surface in public discourse. One indicator of his suitability is his track record of having served as Katib Aam of PBNU during the leadership of the late K.H. Sahal Mahfudh.

Gus Ipul highlighted a leadership pattern within PBNU over the past four decades. He observed that previous chairmen of the organisation had all served as Katib Aam before being entrusted to lead Indonesia’s largest Islamic organisation. “If we look back since the era of Gus Dur, over the last 40 years, the three previous chairmen all served as Katib Aam,” Gus Ipul stated, referring to K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), K.H. Said Aqil Siradj, and K.H. Yahya Cholil Staquf.

Nevertheless, Gus Ipul stressed that the final decision on who will lead PBNU rests entirely with the congress participants. “The determination of the PBNU Chairman is fully the authority of the congress participants through the applicable organisational mechanisms,” he asserted.

On the same occasion, Gus Ipul personally confirmed that he will not run for or accept any nomination for the PBNU chairmanship. His remarks were made following a coordination meeting for the upcoming NU National Conference (Munas) and Grand Conference (Konbes) 2026 at the Al Falah Islamic Boarding School in Ploso, Kediri. The forum serves as a strategic agenda for organisational consolidation ahead of the congress.

Ketua Panitia Daerah Munas-Konbes NU from PWNU East Java, Mustain, stated that technical preparations for the event in Ploso are nearly 100 per cent complete. Meanwhile, Ketua PWNU Jawa Timur, K.H. Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, widely known as Gus Kikin, expressed hope that the Munas and Konbes would produce strategic decisions to strengthen the organisation’s leadership system in line with the values of NU’s founders.