The opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party have berated the ruling All Progressives Congress for appointing former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, as the new National Chairman of the ruling party, saying the 73-year-old politician has corruption baggage hanging around his neck.
However, Ganduje, who emerged APC National Chairman on Thursday at the party’s National Executive Committee in Abuja, promised to promote unity among party members, carry out reforms and adhere to internal democracy under his watch.
At the APC NEC meeting, attended by President Bola Tinubu, a former Senate spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, was also appointed as the APC National Secretary.
In his welcome address, Tinubu defended the legitimacy of the presidential poll.
He said, “Some people baited us but we honoured their wishes and yet coasted to victory. Yes, we are facing challenges in court and I say this is one of the freest and fairest election in the history of Nigeria. As a democrat, those who cannot accept the result of a free and fair election, do not deserve the joy of victory.
‘’We have worked hard, and we have received the trophy. Winning an election is the first part of the process. What is next is good governance and quality service delivery. We must promote unity, peace, and love among all organs of the party.”
‘’You are the makers and drivers of the party. When we have all passengers inside the bus, the driver must not fall asleep. The brake must also work well. Party loyalty must exist.”
On the main agenda of the NEC meeting, which appointed new external auditors to audit party accounts and fill the vacant offices of National Chairman and National Secretary, Tinubu urged the NEC to devolve some of its powers to the National Working Committee of the party to also fill other vacancies in the party.
The request was a sequel to a motion moved by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and seconded by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who doubles as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum.
In his acceptance speech, Ganduje pledged that “Under my watch, internal democracy will be strictly adhered to with a deliberate policy to engage in wider consultations and making the party functional throughout the year.
“More reforms will be carried out in the party in alignment with the current political landscape. Our main focus will be promoting party unity and defending and increasing the number of executive and legislative seats we currently hold.”
He added that “We will ensure a level playing field for all party members that want to contest elections under the party’s platform. Our primary elections would be free, transparent and fair.”
Ganduje said all hands must be on deck to ensure victory for the APC in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
Reacting to Ganduje’s emergence as APC National Chairman, the opposition PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the APC had confirmed itself as a “cesspit of corruption and a haven for thieves, bribe takers and treasury looters.”
“By appointing Ganduje, notoriously referred to as ‘Gandollar’ by Nigerians over the infamous video of him barefacedly stuffing his gown with US dollar notes as bribe allegedly from a contractor, while serving as Governor of Kano State, further validates that the APC is a putrid party of embezzlers and charlatans.
“It also underscores APC’s impunity and insensitivity to the demands of honesty, integrity and moral rectitude required of public office holders. The PDP invites Nigerians to note that only last month, a forensic analysis by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission confirmed that the content of the 2017 ‘Gandollar’ viral video was not doctored,” the PDP said.
Similarly, the chief spokesman for Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, expressed disappointment, saying the appointment of Ganduje was clear proof that the APC lacked any toga of credibility.
Tanko said, “When you have somebody who has a lot of credibility issues hanging on his neck, what good will he bring? In fact, as we speak today, Ganduje is almost being chased out of Kano because of the atrocities he committed in the state. I am from Kano. Is this the same person the APC is making its own national chairman? Come on, they can do better.
“That means the entire party lacks credibility. That is what it shows. There is no ingenuity in him.”
