Ganduje Engages in Intensive Lobbying for APC National Chairman Role Amidst Zone-Based Opposition

Former Kano State Governor, Umaru Ganduje, is actively pursuing his ambition to become the next National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The party is grappling with a crisis that led to the abrupt departure of Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Iyiola Omisore from their respective roles as National Chairman and National Secretary.

Ganduje, hailing from the North-West zone, has been reaching out to influential party members to garner support for his candidacy. However, his bid faces resistance from the North-Central zone, which is determined to prevent him from assuming the coveted position.

Notwithstanding the opposition, Ganduje has reportedly gained the backing of President Bola Tinubu and the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF). The PGF, comprising governors elected on the APC platform, convened in Abuja and reached a consensus to support Ganduje as Senator Adamu’s successor.

In his pursuit of the top party role, the former governor held meetings with significant figures like the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, in Abuja on Sunday. He also met with Senator Aliyu Wamakko, a former governor of Sokoto State, in his Asokoro residence in Abuja on Saturday, aiming to rally support for his aspiration.

However, the chairmen of the APC in the North-Central zone are voicing their opposition to Ganduje’s candidacy. Insisting on fairness and equity, they point out that the national chairmanship position was unanimously zoned to their region during the party’s National Convention last year. They implore the party and its members to recognize their claim to the position, as it is currently vacant and requires replacement, not another zoning process.

Adding his voice to the demand for constitutional adherence, Mallam Salihu Lukman, the National Vice Chairman for APC North-West, urges President Tinubu to allow the National Working Committee to select Senator Adamu’s successor from the North-Central zone. Lukman underscores the significance of restoring constitutional order within the APC, ensuring that leadership debates occur within the party’s established structures, including the national chairman and national secretary vacancies.