Abdullahi Ganduje: I’ll Hit The Ground Running As APC National Chairman

The newly appointed National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje has said he will hit the ground running so that the party will emerge victorious in the November 11, 2023 governorship polls in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo States.

Ganduje stated this in his acceptance speech on Thursday shortly after he emerged as the national chairman at the 12th APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.

The immediate past Kano governor, while addressing party leaders after his emergence, thanked President Bola Tinubu and promised that internal democracy would prevail in the party during his tenure.

He also pledged to ensure a scientific register of party members and pay utmost attention to election management and conflict resolution.

He revealed that all party members will be provided a level playing field during party primaries.

Ganduje promised to hit the ground running to ensure victory for the party in the three forthcoming off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa.

Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi are three of the eight states with off-season governorship elections due to past litigations and court judgements. Others are Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, and Ondo.

APC won the presidential poll in the general elections earlier this year. The party also won 16 state governorship polls. The country’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won with 10, the Labour Party (LP) with one state, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) also with a state.

For the November 11, 2023 governorship poll in Kogi, the APC is fielding a former Auditor General of Local Government in the state, Usman Ododo.

In Bayelsa, the party is fielding the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, while the incumbent Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, is throwing his hat into the ring for a second term in office.

Ganduje was not able to secure a win for his party in the March 18, 2023 governorship election as NNPP’s Yusuf Kabir floored the former governor’s man, Nasir Gawuna.

Yusuf is an ally of NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday, confirmed that it has suspended its planned strike after President Bola Tinubu and the senate intervened in the impasse.