A fresh wave of protests hit the national headquarters of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, as demonstrators demanded the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje from his position as the party’s national chairman.
The protesters, representing the Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders, argued that Ganduje’s tenure in the chairman’s office contradicted the party’s zoning policy.
Speaking to reporters in Abuja, the protesters cited Ganduje’s recent suspension by a faction of his ward executives and allegations of bribery leveled against him by the Kano State government as reasons for their demand.
Amid chants and the display of banners reading “Ganduje must resign” and “Return APC chairmanship to North Central,” the protesters urged President Bola Tinubu and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to consider returning party leadership to the North Central region.
Interestingly, just two days prior, the Forum of APC State Chairmen had expressed confidence in Ganduje, pledging their unwavering support to him.
The Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders lamented that Ganduje’s continued tenure in office blatantly disregarded the party’s zoning principles.
Mohammed Mahmud Saba who led the protesters, said unlike the 37 APC state chairmen, his people in the North Central have passed a vote of no confidence on the national chairman and equally demanded his immediate resignation.
Saba reiterated that the people of North Central felt betrayed when the position of APC national chairman was hijacked from them following the exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu despite giving Tinubu the third highest votes after Northwest and Southwest at the 2023 presidential election.
He said, “We, the North Central APC Concerned Stakeholders, have resolved to unanimously agitate for our right and reclaim our mandate which was handed unto us by the National Convention of our great Party in 2022.
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Various sections of our constitution have established the procedure of replacing an executive member at all levels of the party in the event of death, resignation, incapacitation or expulsion from the party by any executive member.
“It is a fact that the emergence of Dr. Umar Ganduje as national chairman was done against the spirit and soul of the APC which is the constitution of our great party. This singular act has impacted negatively on us as a people in the North Central.
“We feel betrayed and spited because we gave His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the third highest votes after Northwest and Southwest in the country which put us in a better position to enjoy the fruit of our labour.
“We, therefore, demand that Dr Umar Ganduje resign immediately and stop parading himself as the National Chairman of our great party; the zoning arrangements made by the National Convention in 2022, which zoned the office of the national chairman to the North Central be respected by the NEC.
“… and all other organs of the party and that all governors elected on the platform of the APC in the North Central should wake up from their slumber and mobilize their members against this impunity until Ganduje resigns as the national chairman.”
