APC NEC: Tinubu, Ganduje get confidence vote

…Embrace reconciliation, President tells aggrieved members

Members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has passed a vote of confidence on the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The party also ratified zoning of the National Chairmanship position to the North-west political zone of the country.

These decisions and others followed the adoption of a motion moved by at the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) and the Imo state governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, Wednesday in Abuja.

Ganduje’s predecessor and serving Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomole who seconded the vote of confidence motion spoke glowingly of Tinubu’s performance adding that his chances of reclaiming his seat for another four years would be guaranteed with support from the vast majority of Nigerians.

“I formally rise to wholeheartedly second the motion moved by Governor Hope Uzodimma that a vote of confidence be passed on President Tinubu and on the national leadership of the party.”

Speaking at the meeting, President Bola Tinubu who expressed gratitude to the NEC members at the party’s leadership, assured that his administration will live up to the progressive ideals of the APC.

On the strengthening of security, reduction in prices of food items the country is experiencing, the president pledged to sustain the developmental strides being recorded by his administration.

Tinubu said the hardship in the country should not be seen as unusual as other countries of the the world are still witnessing economic shocks.

The President who stressed the need for a more befitting national headquarters for the party expressed satisfaction with the gale of defection by members of the opposition to the APC and electoral victory recorded across the country.

He said: “I thank the leadership of our party for let the NEC find a way to celebrate our progressive ideals. The place we are gathering today is too small for us and I agree with you that we need a bigger location. I think the Minister of National Economic Planning is here, we will discuss with the minster in charge and we will do something about it.

“The APC National Working Committee is doing a good job and I am happy with them. In all the various states let us set up reconciliatory committees to liaise with these aggrieved leaders. I am appealing to them, please be calm. I am very happy and I promise not to let any of you down.”

In his speech, the party’s chairman Ganduje said his leadership inherited a whooping sum of N8.987 billion liabilities ranging from legal engagements during the pre-election matters, election cases and appeals for legislative, governorship and presidential elections.

On the need for a new national secretariat building, Ganduje said: “As part of the commitment to secure and own a national secretariat complex befitting of a ruling party and one that would conveniently accommodate our national officers, the newly established The Progressive Institute as well as the three wings of the party, we have formally applied for a land at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) that will drive this project. May I therefore appeal for the kind intervention of Mr President for this project to materialise.”

Addressing a press conference shortly after the all-important meeting, the party’s spokesman, Felix Morka, said NEC ratified the zoning for chairmanship seat to the North-west geopolitical zone where former governor Ganduje hails from.

He also said a seven member committee chaired by Governor Mai Mala Buni was set up and mandated to undertake the task of including more members into the NEC of the party.

He added that NEC approved the party financial statement, its audited account and budget for year 2025 financial year.

On the vote of confidence on President Tinubu and Ganduje, Morka said: “Today under the leadership of this president our country is witnessing sometimes that we haven’t seen in a very long time. We are now consistently exporting goods and services more than we are importing. Our balance of payment has improved drastically and that’s good for the economy. In the oil sector, we have seen a dramatic increase in country’s oil output.

“The agriculture sector was also highlight, members noted that we witnessing a surge in that sector when we see more improvement in food productivity which has now started to cause prices to fall.

“So members expressed a lot of satisfaction with the progress that we are making under the leadership of this president. In the area of security it was also highlighted that security across the board has also improved remarkably and several of our speakers pay tributes to members of our security forces who are fighting everyday, laying their lives down so that we all can sleep well.

“As a result, members of our National Executive Committee today doubled down on the vote of confidence passed on Mr President yesterday at the National caucus meeting. An absolute vote of confidence was passed on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today.

“In recognition of the administration’s bold and unprecedented programme of economic reform which clearly now, indisputably are beginning to bear fruits and require all of us to support so that our country can continue to develop and assured our future.

“NEC also passed a confidence on our National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for the remarkable records of successes he has led the party to. Success is not just in electoral victories but more importantly in holding the party together and forging opportunities for members of the party to dialogue and engage with each other and express themselves ensure cordiality than the competition in the opposition parties.

“That vote of confidence was also extended to the entire National Working Committee as led by Dr Ganduje.”

He added: “Part of the resolution was that the President charged NEC to strengthen existing committees to engage leaders where there are issues and conflict, bring them together and improve relation among them. This is to give the best opportunity to the party to win election in those states.

“APC and it’s organs are working as effectively as possible. How else do you explain the vibrancy of the party. Today it was said that more than 18 National Assembly members who have decamped from opposition into the APC. If their party is working they would not have come to join us and we welcome them.”

Responding to recent comments made by the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-rufai, the party’s spokesman urged Nigerians not to take him serious.

He also faulted the claim by the former governor of Kaduna state that the party organs have been rendered prostrate.

He said: “What the former governor of Kaduna said is akin to grievance driven commentary and we don’t take that seriously. It’s clear he has an axe to grind.”

The state governors and other prominent party members in attendance include; Edo State governor Monday Okpebholo, Ondo, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Benue State, Hyacinth Iormem Alia, Ekiti, Biodun Oyebanji, Kaduna, Musa Sani, Nasarawa State, Abdulahi Sule, Yobe, Mai Mala Buni, Kogi, Usman Ododo, Ogun Dapo Abiodun, Niger Mohammed Umar Bago, Jigawa, among others.

The list of the former governors in attendance include Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, his Kebbi counterpart and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Kogi, Yahaya Bello, Zamfara, Bello Mattawalle, among others.

Also present during the meeting include Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Former Deputy President, Ovie Omo-Agege, and other principal officers of the National Assembly, Ministers, among others.

But conspicuously absent at the NEC meeting which is the second to be held since President Tinubu assumed the helm of affairs of the country were his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, the former Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, former Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi, former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila.

When asked to comment on the absence of former President Buhari, Osinbajo, Fayemi and other NEC members, the party’sspokesma, Morka said: “As far as I know I have never known the caucus meeting of our party to be attended 100 percent by all of the members of NEc or caucus and I am not sure there is any meeting you expect 100 attendance. There is a lot of back end negotiation of convenience for them to attend.”

He cited the difficulty faced by the party to get President Tinubu to attend the parleys in spite of his busy schedule.

Morka claimed every member of NEC was invited adding unknown to many, the trend in the party is bent on accommodating more leaders to attend the NEC.