National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has held a productive meeting with critical stakeholders in the North-central, assuring that his leadership of the party will “set new standards and benchmarks in the nation’s democratic sphere and ensuring the sustenance and continuation of the APC government at all levels.”
Ganduje also called on all the stakeholders of the party and Nigerians to continue to rally support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding that the President has not only initiated new projects, but almost completed most of the projects he inherited from the previous administration.
Speaking Saturday at the APC North-central stakeholders meeting, held in Lafia, Nasarawa state, Ganduje appealed for the cooperation and support of all party members to succeed as a government and the ruling party.
The high-profile meeting was attended Governors of Kwara state, Nasarawa state, Kogi state, Benue state and Deputy Governor of Niger State.
Other prominent stakeholders include; the immediate-past National Chairman of the APC Senator Abdullahi Adamu, former Nasarawa state governor Tanko Almakura, former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase, Senator Banabas Gemade, Minister of Steel Development, Shaibu Abubakar Audu, Minister of Special Duty, Minister of State, Police, all party state chairmen, among several others.
Ganduje explained that the reforms put in place by President Tinubu is already yielding good returns for Nigerians.
He refered to the drastic reduction in oil theft, pipelines vandalisation and increment in crude oil production as some of the inroads so far recorded by the President Tinubu led administration.
He further stated that the compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative would cushion the hardship faced by Nigerians due to the increase in the price of fuel.
According to Ganduje, there is urgent need for party stakeholders to engage on massive sensitization of Nigerians to properly understand these challenges and the efforts and commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards addressing these challenges.
The National Chairman said: “I would like to reaffirm my commitment to the ideals of our great party to set new standards and benchmarks in the nation’s democratic sphere and ensuring the sustenance and continuation of the APC government at all levels.
“Even though it is not yet an election period, we are reinvigorating the party to ensure that come 2027, we will retain and get new state governors, as well as Mr President to secure another mandate to continue with his government’s policies and programmes.
“On the Party affair, you may recall that in my inaugural address, I made a commitment to strengthen unity in our party by working hard individually and collectively. However, for me to succeed, I want to passionately appeal for the cooperation and support of all Party members.
“While we are structuring our party into a truly grassroots progressive party, may I also appeal to our governors to support the state party leadership by ensuring that all the state Party offices at the ward, local government and state levels are fully functional . This will enable our members across the country to have symbolic representation in their neighborhood. It will also facilitate party activities to roll out all year round, without necessarily waiting till during campaigns or elections.
Another commitment I made is the e-registration of our members. The exercise will be launched in Niger State on a date to be announced.
“To achieve these noble objectives, the National Secretariat has asked for one nomination from each Senatorial zone of the country for training and step down. Therefore, state Party leadership should also liaise with their state Governors to nominate persons who have the capacity to learn and impact such knowledge at their respective states.”
Ganduje said the party has secured certificate of recognition from the Corporate Affairs Commission, adding that the Institute has the blessing of other relevant stakeholders that included the Federal Ministries of Education, Justice and the National Board for Technical Education.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen George Akume who stood in for President Tinubu reassured stakeholders of the party of the President tremendous regard for the North-central geopolitical zone.
Reminiscing the contribution of the zone to the unity of the country over the years, he dropped the hint that the President would soon take appropriate action to address alleged lopsidedness of appointments and infrastructural development of the zone.
Referring the appointments of party faithful into key ministerial seats, Akume said the President is keen on ensuring the completion of ongoing work on the Akwanga-Jos, Abuja -Lokoja, and the Makurdi-Enugu federal highways.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and the North Central zonal coordinator, Alh Abdulrahman Abdulrazak who referred to the successes recorded by the party in the zone in the 2023 poll stressed the need to sustain the winning streak of the party.
He called on party faithful to work assiduously to ensure the passage of the North Central developmental commission required to harness the rich minerals and Agricultural resources in the zone.
Governor Abdullahi Sule in his opening remarks enjoined party faithful to set aside their differences and work harmoniously towards the success of the party across the country.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wade who reechoed the need for the establishment of the North Central Development Commission decried the appointment of non -APC members into sensitive positions in the President Tinubu led administration.
Wase who spoke on behalf of the North Central caucus of the party in the national Assembly called on the party to address the anomaly ahead of the 2027 poll.