North Central APC: Stakeholders differ with Gov Sule over Ganduje’s endorsement

By Musa Baba Adamu

The concerned North Central stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), have dismissed a vote of confidence passed on the embattled national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje by the Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule.
On Friday, Mr Sule led a delegation of some party members from North Central to the national headquarters of the party, where they pledged support and loyalty of the region to Mr Ganduje.
But reacting in a statement, a former national chairmanship aspirant of the APC, and co-convener of the concerned stakeholders, Mohammed Saidu-Etsu, said the views expressed by the governor are personal and not collectively resolved of the region.
He said, “I wish to once again restate the non-compromising stance of the North Central zone on zoning arrangements of the last elective convention where the National chairmanship of the party was zone to the North Central zone.
“While Governor Sule retains the personal liberty to declare his personal support for any official of the party, I wish to remind him and other do-gooders who may be in league with him that fraternising with Dr. Ganduje, who is effectively usurping the position which rightfully belongs to the North Central, is an act of self sabotage and utter betrayal of collective political future.
“Such a decision directly undermines the zone by settling for nothing and reduces our place in the political equation of our party where we have worked hard, from the proverbial Nigerian adage of “monkey dey work baboon dey chop” to that of outrightly selling our birth right.
“It is instructive to remind Governor Sule that some of us are founding members of this party. We toiled to build it when he had not joined partisan politics yet.
“If he thinks that we will let him stroll into the park and destroy what has been zoned to the North Central in recognition of the hard work of our competent members in the zone, then he is mistaking the resolve of the people to fight for what is rightfully theirs.
“The governor’s antics notwithstanding, we are happy with the fact he has shown his face. At least we now know categorically, where the sabotage of our zone is coming from.
“Let me also advise Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje to not be swayed by the smooth talks. The North Central is uncompromising in its insistance on the return of the seat of the National Chairman. Let me also reiterate that our demand bears no ill-will towards the person of Dr. Ganduje, but it is not fair, just, or in any way equitable to usurp a position and sit-tight on it.
“We also wish to alert the leader of our party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to take a special interest in this unfolding imbroglio, which if allowed to snowball into a crisis, has the potential to derail the goodwill of the party in our zone. The president, as the leader of our party, should also caution Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State on making endorsements that could inflame members.”
Mr Etsu also reiterates the region’s appeal to President Bola Tinubu to, in the interest of justice and stability of the party, intervene in the matter and ensure that the position of the national chairman of the party is returned to the North Central zone.