The immediate past governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, is expected to be ratified as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) today.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the National Caucus of the party met yesterday to clear legal hurdles that could have prevented Ganduje from becoming the party’s national chairman.
The caucus, which was chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, mandated the party’s leadership to work out modalities to remove any legal obstacles that could prevent Ganduje from assuming the leadership of the party.
Sources close to Ganduje disclosed that the meeting was held after it was discovered that some provisions in the APC constitution could have made it difficult for Ganduje to become national chairman, Leadership Newspaper reports.
The caucus was reportedly directed to work out strategies to remove those constitutional hurdles, and it is believed that they were successful in doing so.
One of the sources in the NEC of the party, said, “We (APC) are conscious of some legal hurdles that can make it possible for the former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, to emerge as the national chairman of our party. To this end, the national caucus of the party has been directed to clear those hurdles. The national caucus is meeting this night in Abuja to achieve that purpose.
“Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that Ganduje must become the next national chairman, everything has to be done to achieve the presidential directive. The presidential order must prevail. No one dares tell Mr. President that Ganduje’s national chairmanship is unachievable; it is a task that must be accomplished.
“The former governor himself (Ganduje) was reluctant to assume the position of the national chairman because he planned to become a minister but he cannot resist the pressures and presidential order. So, he has to succumb at the end of the day. Having agreed and accepted the offer, there are some legal hurdles against him in the constitution of our party that have to be removed.
“If those legal obstacles are still there, there is no way Governor Ganduje can become our national chairman. If he is imposed with those constitutional hindrances in place, his emergence will automatically attract legal actions. It will surely be challenged in courts. That is why the caucus was mandated to tackle that issue.
“We sincerely hope that the caucus members would be through and conclude the assignment as given to them last night to pave the way for a seamless and smooth emergence of the former governor as our national chairman during the NEC meeting today.
“But if the caucus could not finish the assignment before the NEC
As a result, Ganduje is now expected to be ratified as national chairman at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting today.
The NEC meeting is scheduled to hold at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
In addition to Ganduje, Senator Ajibola Basiru is also expected to be ratified as the party’s national secretary.
The forum of the state chairmen of the APC formally recognized Ganduje as national chairman of the party ahead of his unveiling during the NEC meeting.
Thirty-seven state chairmen of the APC met with Ganduje in Abuja yesterday.
