By Yohana Samson
Immediate past Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje has been unveiled as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.
He takes over from Senator Abdullahi Adamu, a former Nasarawa State Governor and Senator representing Nasarawa West in the National Assembly.
Ganduje took over the reins of the party leadership following Adamu’s resignation.
Adamu was said to have fallen out of favour with President Bola Tinubu, who doubles as the party’s leader.
In his acceptance speech during the ongoing National Executive Committee meeting holding at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Ganduje expressed gratitude to God, the President and other party leaders for finding him worthy to be saddled with the challenge of steering the party to greater heights.
He said, “May I also warmly appreciate the leader of our party, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Asiwaju and Jagaban of Borgu for his continued support and commitment to the ideals of our great party.
“I would also like to specially acknowledge the contributions of His Excellency the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima,” and other party leaders and stakeholders.
He also said, “With boundless gratitude for the confidence placed in me by leaders and members of our party, and with an unswerving resolve to honour that trust, I humbly accept my appointment as the Chairman of our party, the APC.
“I am deeply touched and inspired by the generous words of congratulations and encouragement I have been receiving and wish to extend my deepest respect and appreciation to all the leaders and member for their strong support.
“Our main focus will be promoting party unity and defending and increasing the number of executive and legislative seats we currently hold.
“Under my watch, internal democracy will be strictly adhered to with a deliberate policy to engage in wider consultations and making party functional throughout the year.
“More reforms will be carried out in the party in alignment with the current political landscape
“We all agreed that we must unite our members to achieve support for our government to respond adequately, urgently and assertively” to the challenges that Nigerians confront on a daily basis.
“The challenges include unemployment, poverty, insecurity, social cohesion and the rising cost of living.
“I want to make a special appeal to Nigerians to bear with the President at this trying moment, considering that the country’s economy had been in shambles for years.
“ I believe the policies and programmes to be unveiled by Mr. President when his administration fully takes shape, will surely turn around things for the better.
“Our party must remain rooted among the people, must demonstrate a willingness to serve and make sacrifices, and must be willing to acknowledge and address our weaknesses.
“It’s a huge privilege and an honour and a great responsibility to take on this job and I will do it with everything I have to the best of my ability for my party and my country.
“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.
“Let me also use this opportunity to call on members of our party and all the people of Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states to close ranks and ensure that the APC wins in the forthcoming governorship elections.”
Ganduje took over the helm of affairs just as the party’s National Legal Adviser, Ahmed El-Marzuq, resigned from his position.
In a press release made public on Thursday, El-Marzuq, who is a close ally of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, was said to have handed his resignation letter to the party’s secretariat on Wednesday.
The former legal adviser explained that he was resigning his position in the light of new developments within the party.
According to him, he had to leave to pave way for the party to carry out its restructuring aimed at ensuring regional balance in the party’s executive committee.
