Backs Tinubu’s ‘Hard’ Decisions To Fix Nigeria
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has stoutly defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he termed the “hard” decisions he took within the last one year to fix the multifaceted challenges besetting the country.
Speaking at the APC North-central stakeholders meeting held in Lafia, Nasarawa State, he explained that the reforms were already yielding good returns for Nigerians.
Ganduje referred to the drastic reduction in oil theft, pipelines vandalism and increase in crude oil production as some of the inroads so far recorded by the Tinubu administration.
Ganduje, who made reference to Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, also spoke about the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative aimed at cushioning the hardship faced by Nigerians due to the increase in the price of fuel as some of the benefits from the reforms.
He described the parley with critical stakeholders of the party in the North-central zone as timely, saying it would assist in setting new standards and benchmarks in the nation’s democratic sphere.
According to him, there is an urgent need for party stakeholders to engage in massive sensitisation of Nigerians to properly understand the country’s challenges and the efforts and commitment of the President towards addressing them.
He said: “I would like to reaffirm my commitment to the ideals of our great party to set new standards and benchmarks in the nation’s democratic sphere and ensure the sustenance and continuation of the APC government at all levels.
“Even though it is not yet an election period, we are reinvigorating the party to ensure that come 2027, we will retain and get new state governors, as well as Mr. President to secure another mandate to continue with his government’s policies and programmes.
“On party affairs, you may recall that in my inaugural address, I made a commitment to strengthen unity in our party by working hard individually and collectively. However, for me to succeed, I want to passionately appeal for the cooperation and support of all party members.
“While we are structuring our party into a truly grassroots progressive party, may I also appeal to our governors to support the state party leadership by ensuring that all the state party offices at the ward, local government and state levels are fully functional.”
This will enable our members across the country to have symbolic representation in their neighbourhood. “It will also facilitate party activities to roll out all year round without necessarily waiting till during campaigns or elections.
“Another commitment I made is the e-registration of our members. The exercise will be launched in Niger State on a date to be announced.
“To achieve these noble objectives, the national secretariat has asked for one nomination from each senatorial zone of the country for training and step down. Therefore, state party leadership should also liaise with their state governors to nominate persons who have the capacity to learn and impart such knowledge in their respective states.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, who stood in for President Tinubu, reassured stakeholders of the party that the President has tremendous regard for the North Central geopolitical zone.
Recalling the contribution of the zone to the unity of the country over the years, he hinted that the President would soon take appropriate actions to address the alleged lopsidedness of appointments and infrastructural development of the zone. He said the President is keen on ensuring the completion of ongoing work on the Akwanga-Jos, Abuja -Lokoja and the Makurdi-Enugu federal highways.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the North Central zonal coordinator, Alh. AbdulRahman AbdulRazak, who referred to the successes recorded by the party in the zone in the 2023 polls, stressed the need to sustain the winning streak of the party.
He called on party faithful to work assiduously to ensure the passage of the North Central Developmental Commission (NCDC) bill, saying it is required to harness the rich mineral and agricultural resources in the zone.
Governor Abdullahi Sule, in his opening remarks, enjoined party faithful to set aside their differences and work harmoniously towards the success of the party across the country.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, who also re-echoed the need for the establishment of the NCDC, decried the appointment of non-APC members into sensitive positions in the Tinubu administration.
Wase, who spoke on behalf of the North Central caucus of the party in the National Assembly, called on the party to address the anomaly ahead of the 2027 polls.
The high-profile meeting was attended by Governors of Kwara State, Nasarawa State, Kogi State, Benue State and the Deputy Governor of Niger State.Other prominent stakeholders at the meeting include the immediate-past National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; former Nasarawa State governor, Tanko Almakura; Senator Banabas Gemade, Minister of Steel Development, Shaibu Abubakar Audu; all state party chairmen, among several others.
