The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed reports alleging a scheme to replace Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the party’s national chairman.
These reports, which did not originate from Daily Trust, suggested that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intended to appoint Ganduje, the former governor of Kano State, as an ambassador to facilitate his removal from the national chairman position.
The reports speculated that Ganduje’s departure would be driven by increasing pressure and accusations, including ongoing fraud charges from the Kano State government.
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However, following a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja on Thursday, Barrister Fetus Fuanter, the APC’s deputy national secretary, clarified that there is no plan to remove Ganduje. He also stated that the party is unaware of any potential ambassadorial appointment for Ganduje.
Fuanter announced that the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting is scheduled for September 12.
This will be the first NEC meeting since Ganduje became national chairman on August 3, 2023. The NEC is the party’s second highest decision-making body, after the national convention.
Additionally, Fuanter revealed that the APC National Caucus will meet on September 11, the day before the NEC meeting.
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Regarding the ongoing dispute in the Rivers State chapter of the party, Fuanter affirmed the APC’s recognition of Chief Tony Okocha’s leadership, who is an ally of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike. He criticized the recent court ruling that dismissed Okocha’s leadership as an “abuse of court processes.”
A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt had on Monday removed Okocha from his leadership role, validating Emeka Beke, an ally of Rotimi Ameachi, as the legitimate head of the APC in the state.
However, the APC’s NWC argues that the judgment does not impact the party, as it was not a party to the lawsuit. Fuanter asserted that the legal action involving Ganduje and national secretary Ajibola Bashiru, rather than the APC itself, was improperly conducted.
