Gus Irfan: President Prabowo Will Not Interfere in NU Leadership Election

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, known as Gus Irfan, has stressed that President Prabowo Subianto will not interfere in the leadership election process of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Speaking in Surabaya on Wednesday, he stated that the President’s only wish is for the best leader to be chosen for the advancement of NU. “Mr Prabowo deeply respects the independence of Nahdlatul Ulama. He will not intervene in determining who leads. His sole hope is that the best leader is elected for the progress of NU,” Gus Irfan told reporters. He emphasised that the NU Congress must be conducted in a calm atmosphere, upholding the fundamental values inherited from the organisation’s founders. The grandson of NU founder KH Hasyim Asy’ari also warned that the congress should not resemble a political party congress, which is often marred by fierce competition. “That is not the hallmark of NU. We must look back at the kiai who preceded us. They actually refused to be elected because they understood this is a responsibility to be accounted for in this world and the hereafter,” he said. Gus Irfan expressed hope that the congress would serve as a momentum to strengthen the values of sincerity, unity, and independence. He called on all parties to avoid causing disruption and to allow the most capable individuals to lead. According to data compiled by ANTARA, the NU Central Board has officially agreed that the 35th NU Congress is scheduled to take place from 1 to 5 August 2026. The decision was finalised during the recent National Deliberation of Religious Scholars and Grand Conference held in Ploso, Kediri, at the end of June. All substantive materials, commission discussions, and key decisions—including cyber jurisprudence and hajj management—were prepared during the conference to be brought to the congress. Regarding the location, as of the end of June, the PBNU was still conducting final reviews of several regions that have volunteered to host the event, including East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, and West Sumatra.