APC Chairmanship: North-west APC chairmen endorse Ganduje

Former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s bid for the national chairmanship of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) got a boost on Wednesday with his endorsement by the chairmen of the party in the seven North-west states.

The endorsement was contained in a statement jointly signed by the seven chairmen.

They are Isa Acida of Sokoto, Tukur Danfulani (Zamfara), Abubakar Kana (Kebbi) and Abubakar Gumel (Jigawa).

Others are Muhammed Ali (Katsina), Abdullahi Abbas (Kano) and Emmanuel Jekada (Kaduna).

Mr Ganduje was governor of Kano State between 2015 and 2023.

The party leaders stated that the decision to back Mr Ganduje was reached on Tuesday at a meeting held in Kaduna State.

The chairmen stated that the decision was in recognition of the role the former Kano governor played during the last presidential election.

“This decision followed the immense contributions made to the party by the two terms governor of the second most populous state in the nation. Kano, especially at the 2023 general election which saw the emergence of our most enviable President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR as President,” the statement said.

Mr Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State, has been reported as a preferred candidate by President Bola Tinubu as the Chairman of the APC.

If he eventally emerges, the former governor will succeed Abdullahi Adamu who resigned last week.

The APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Abubakar Kyari, has since taken over the leadership of the party on acting basis.

Iyiola Omisore, who also resigned as the party’s national secretary, was also replaced with his deputy, Festus Fuantar.

Both Messrs Adamu and Omisore were elected in March 2022.

The ruling party has yet to fix a date for its convention to pick the replacement for the two former leaders who visited Mr Tinubu on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa.