APC Chairmanship: Lukman Confirms THISDAY Story, Says Choice of Ganduje Insensitive

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

National Vice Chairman, North-West, of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Dr. Salihu Lukman, has described speculation doing the rounds that the  immediate past governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, might emerge the next national chairman of the party as insensitive.

Lukman, who confirmed the THISDAY story in a statement, yesterday, said, if the speculation emerging from the APC governors was true, it would completely distort the zoning arrangement that informed the present configuration of the leadership of the National Assembly.
He said with the exit of former National chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the former Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, there was a need  to  restore constitutional order in APC by complying with extant provisions of the party’s constitution.

The party chieftain noted that a situation whereby the National Chairman usurped powers of National Working Committee (NWC) and all organs of the party was unacceptable, stressing that, all organs of the party, namely, National Advisory Council (NAC), National Caucus, National Executive Committee (NEC) must be allowed to function in accordance with provisions of the party’s constitution.

He insisted that the irresponsible culture of asking organs of the party to donate their powers to the NWC, which basically empowers the National Chairman to convert all the resources of the party to personal use, must end.

Lukman pointed out that many of the speculations about Adamu’s successor did not share the commitment to either restore constitutional order in the party or return the party to its founding vision of returning to the path of progressive politics.

He said some of the speculations, if true, would reduce to nonsense the decision to have a change of leadership, which meant that no lessons had been learnt from all the circumstances of the last few years since the emergence of APC as a political party.
“Already, part of the speculations emerging from the Governors bloc is that Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is being considered to succeed Senator Abdullahi Adamu. If this is true, it only suggests insensitivity and taking members of the party for granted.
“This is without prejudice to the person of Dr. Ganduje. This is because such a choice will completely distort the zoning arrangement that informed the present configuration of the leadership of the National Assembly.
“With the Speaker of House of Representatives and Deputy Senate President coming from North West and North Central shut out of consideration, to propose the party’s national chairman to move to North West from North Central will be unjust and almost a political suicide.
“We must caution our governors that since the emergence of APC, governors have served almost as the conscience of the party. Any consideration for such an insensitive and unjust consideration of Dr. Ganduje to become the National Chairman of APC must be discarded. If anything, the position of National Chairman of the APC must be retained in North Central.

“Part of the challenge of managing the current transition within the party is getting the NWC to properly take the driving seat in managing and facilitating negotiations to produce and engage leaders of the party. The NWC must sit up and guide the unfolding negotiations. No single power bloc should be allowed to appropriate the process.”