2 months ago
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APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje
The camp of the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has reacted to ongoing speculations of an imminent sack, saying he would remain in charge of the party affairs beyond the September 12 planned meeting of the National Executive Committee.
Ganduje’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment, Chief Oliver Okpala, gave the assurance in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday.
Okpala also took a swipe at the Chairman of APC North Central Forum, Saleh Zazzaga, over his repeated attack on his principal.
In the past few months, Zazzaga, a member of the defunct Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council had championed the campaign for the return of the national chairman’s seat to his region following the exit of the immediate past leader, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Two months ago, the Plateau politician dragged Ganduje and his National Working Committee to court to press home their agitation.
Last week, the North Central chieftain granted another press conference in Jos, threatening revolt if the President and other NEC members fail to remove Ganduje.
“If the NEC meeting does not yield favourable results for our region, we will immediately begin consultations to take decisive action. We cannot remain in a party where we are marginalised,” he warned.
But Okpala condemned his action, describing Zazzaga as a ‘loose cannon’ planted by the opposition to destabilise the leadership of the party.
While labelling his APC North Central Forum as a faceless group, the spokesman boasted that the former Kano governor cannot be intimidated by ongoing speculations into giving up his ‘rightful’ position.
He said, “No due attention should be given to Zazzaga’s blackmail. He should return to the path of political rectitude if he is a true party man before it is too late. He should take advantage of all the organs of the party through which issues can be resolved rather than playing to the gallery and washing dirty linens in the public glare.
“He ought to know that political parties have internal platforms for resolving issues, no matter how vexatious they may appear. When one fails to explore those options but rushes to the courts as Zazzaga has done, it is an indication that such a person is a dissident and an outlaw. You cannot be claiming to be a zonal leader and be casting aspersions and insinuating ignoble innuendoes against the leadership of your party.
“If Zazzaga is a true and disciplined party man he should know that the Governors are superior to whatever he claims to be in the party hierarchy or the geo-political zone. They have clearly taken a stand to remain behind Dr. Ganduje and their position is far superior to the rantings of anybody in the zone.
“His continued attacks on Dr. Ganduje shows that he has been contracted by the opposition to undermine, cause division and bad blood in the APC and that plot will fail”
