The Coalition of North-Central Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress has thrown its weight behind the former governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, to replace the immediate past National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
The development came barely two days after APC chairmen in seven states of the North-West similarly endorsed the 73-year-old politician at a meeting in Kaduna.
The alleged endorsement of Ganduje as the preferred choice of President Bola Tinubu and the APC governors had generated mixed feelings among party faithful and members of the ruling party.
While a few party chieftains feel the next national chairman should be allowed to emerge from Nasarawa State in line with the zoning arrangement of the APC, others are rooting for Ganduje.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Convener of the coalition, Okpokwu Ogenyi, stated that though the current zoning formula cedes the office to their zone, the APC North-Central leaders had agreed to forfeit the office of national chairman in favour of Ganduje.
He said, “We, the people of North Central, have occupied the national chairmanship position of all ruling parties in the country and have done well in terms of party administration. We are proud to say that a chairman from the zone led the party to victory in the last presidential election.
“Today, our father, who was the National Chairman of the APC, has resigned from his position, thereby making the post vacant. As you may be aware, there is no vacuum in governance so a competent hand must be employed to move our party forward.
“It is on this note that we wholeheartedly endorse Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the National Chairman of our great party, the APC. Abdullahi Ganduje is a party man who has distinguished himself as an intellectual of high repute.
“As North Central youths, one may be tempted to ask why we should not clamour for the position to be retained in the zone. The truth is, we have contributed our quota and wish other zones to also be allowed to participate in the party’s administration.
“We, the North Central people, are far above trivialities, greed and selfishness when it comes to the national interest.”
