Ondo 2024: APC North-Central Forum lauds Ganduje over campaign council

By Jude Opara

The All Progressives Congress (APC) North-Central Forum has lauded the national leadership of the party for carrying its members along in the recently constituted National Campaign Council for the Ondo State governorship election.
Chairman of the APC North-Central Forum, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, commended APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, for carrying the Forum and other sections of the party along.
Ganduje had on October 28, 2024, inaugurated a 305-member National Campaign Council for the Ondo State governorship election.
The Council is headed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State heads the Finance Committee, with Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio as his deputy.
The Media and Publicity Committee is chaired by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, with Minister of Information, Idris Mohammed, as Deputy Chairman.
Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, and Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya, are the chairman and deputy chairman of the Security Committee, respectively.
Other members of the APC Ondo election campaign council include former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who will serve as the Secretary, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume.
Some members of the APC North-Central Forum were included in the 305-member Ondo governorship election campaign council.
Reacting to the development, Zazzaga said the APC national leadership had shown a commitment to integrate and unite all sections of the party.
“We laud the APC national leadership led by Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje for the decision to carry the North-Central Forum and other sections of the party along in the Ondo State Governorship Election Campaign Council.
“We commend the national leadership for getting different sections of the party involved in this all important assignment.
“The APC leadership has demonstrated a commitment to unite the party and this will ensure that our great party is positioned for victory in Ondo State and in future elections.
“A united APC is an asset to Nigeria as a united front is needed to turn the fortunes of the country around, as spelt out in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The APC North-Central Forum remains committed to the growth and progress of not only our great party, but also the entire Nigeria at large and we will always put in our best to ensure that the country moves to the next level,” Zazzaga said.
The APC North-Central Forum chairman urged Ganduje to continue the policy of inclusiveness in order to give all members the opportunity to contribute to the programs and progress of the party.
He also reassured the APC national chairman of the commitment and support of the North-Central to his leadership.
The APC North-Central Forum, in the same vein, urged the people of Ondo State to come out en masse and vote for the party’s candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the governorship election scheduled for November 16, 2024.
Aiyedatiwa, who replaced late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, will be contesting the poll with candidates of other parties, including his main challenger, Mr Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Zazzaga said Aiyedatiwa has performed well since he assumed office as governor, following Akeredolu’s passing.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa’s record speaks for him, he has done well and deserves to continue in office to continue his people-oriented policies and programmes.
“We, the North-Central APC Forum, are calling on the people of Ondo to troop out in large numbers to vote for Aiyedatiwa on election day. The APC candidate will take Ondo to the Promise Land and we believe a victory for Aiyedatiwa will consolidate progress and development in Ondo State,” he added.
Zazzaga noted that Aiyedatiwa’s decision to approve N73,000 minimum wage for Ondo workers shows his commitment to the welfare of the people.
In the same vein, the APC North-Central Forum chairman urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu.
Noting that the President has initiated policies towards addressing the country’s economic challenges, Zazzaga urged Nigerians to give Tinubu time for the impact of the policies to manifest.
Urging Nigerians to support the President, he said, “The challenges being tackled by the President are longstanding problems, they were there before he assumed office but he is determined to solve these problems.
“The President has initiated policies that will turn the situation around, and very soon, Nigerians will be better off. All the President needs is support and patience, and with time, the story will change for the better.
“The President is not insensitive, he listens and he understands the situation. He is determined to turn things around in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda.”“This is a zone that has suffered tremendously with no federal presence and development, despite what it puts in the table for other to share every month. Rising up now against the South South zone by scrapping the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is an indication that the government has not learnt from the past.
“We urge the president to please reconsider this decision so as to allow the relative peace and development stride the ministry has achieved in the affected zone. We should not return violence and crisis to the Niger Delta, which has already been arrested through the creation of both the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs,” he cautioned.

Amb. Dagogo equally called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, as well as other senators and National Assembly members from the South South zone to rise up and protect the Niger Delta Affairs ministry, which he said is the driving force for the development of the region.