East Java NU nominates Kiai Kikin for PBNU top leadership

The East Java Regional Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PWNU Jatim) has officially put forward KH Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, widely known as Kiai Kikin, as its candidate for the General Chairperson of the PBNU for the 2026-2031 term. This nomination is set to be formalized during the 35th NU Congress, scheduled to take place at the Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School in Jombang from August 27-31, 2026.

Kiai Kikin, who also presides over the Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School in Jombang, secured this nomination following a joint meeting of the PWNU Jatim's Syuriyah and Tanfidziyah leadership. His candidacy garnered substantial backing, with 42 out of the 45 Nahdlatul Ulama Branch Managers (PCNU) across East Java expressing their support during a coordination meeting in Surabaya.

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The assignment of Kiai Kikin is not the will of PWNU or an individual, but an agreement reached in several PWNU daily meetings and coordination meetings with PCNU, which this time also agreed to be united.

According to Wakil Rais Syuriyah PWNU Jawa Timur, KH Abdul Matin Djawahir, the nomination is a collective organizational decision, not the product of personal or group ambition. He stated, "The assignment of Kiai Kikin is not the will of PWNU or an individual, but an agreement reached in several PWNU daily meetings and coordination meetings with PCNU, which this time also agreed to be united."

Kiai Matin highlighted that Kiai Kikin meets several crucial leadership criteria deemed necessary for NU. His qualifications include being a descendant of NU's founder, extensive experience within both the central (PBNU) and regional (PWNU) leadership structures, active involvement in cadre development, management of an Islamic boarding school, and experience in business. This diverse background, Kiai Matin explained, positions Kiai Kikin to lead the organization professionally, free from personal interests. He is also noted for his calm demeanor, commitment to fostering unity, and dedication to modernizing NU's governance while adhering to the foundational principles established by Hadratussyekh KH Hasyim Asy'ari.

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He has complete experience in organization, cadre development, Islamic boarding schools, and business, so he is also financially stable, thus not thinking about profit in the organization, but rather about efforts to make the organization modern based on morality and nationhood. His personality is also calm, not noisy, and prioritizes brotherhood.