Politics

Ganduje Engages Adamu and North Central Governors Following Protests

Published by Tope Fakinlede on May 25th, 2024.

Ganduje Engages Adamu and North Central Governors Following Protests

On Saturday, Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), held a significant meeting with governors and key stakeholders from the North Central region.

Ganduje reassured the attendees that the party leadership would implement new standards and benchmarks to uphold the APC’s governance at all levels, setting a higher bar for the nation’s democratic processes.

Present at the meeting were Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Kogi’s Usman Ododo, Hyacinth Alia from Benue, and Niger’s Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba. Other notable figures included former APC National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu, ex-Nasarawa Governor Tanko Almakura, former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase, APC stalwart Senator Barnabas Gemade, Minister of Steel Development Shaibu Audu, and Minister of Special Duty and Intergovernmental Affairs Zephaniah Jisalo.

This high-level discussion followed an incident where suspected thugs attacked North Central APC protesters demanding Ganduje’s resignation outside the party’s headquarters. The demonstrators were advocating for the return of the APC leadership position to their region but were dispersed by the attackers wielding sticks.

During the meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State’s capital, Ganduje emphasized the need for unity within the APC despite the numerous challenges and opposition the party faces. He expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu, highlighting the president’s efforts in initiating new projects and advancing those inherited from the previous administration. Ganduje assured that Nigerians would soon see the benefits of Tinubu’s reforms, particularly in combating oil theft, preventing pipeline vandalism, and increasing crude oil production.

Ganduje stated, “Although it is not yet election time, we are revitalizing the party to ensure that in 2027, we will secure new state governors and enable the president to continue his administration’s policies and programs.”

He further called for the cooperation and support of all party members to strengthen unity within the APC, urging governors to ensure that party offices at ward, local government, and state levels are fully operational, thus providing representation for members nationwide.

President Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, also addressed the meeting. He urged APC members in the North Central Zone to remain united to maintain the party’s dominance. Akume praised the governors for their grassroots projects that are already benefiting their communities.

Tinubu highlighted the importance of unity and hinted at forthcoming measures to address perceived imbalances in appointments and infrastructural development in the zone. He also committed to expediting the completion of ongoing federal highway projects, including the Akwanga-Jos, Abuja-Lokoja, and Makurdi-Enugu roads.