National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has disclosed that his leadership is in talks with some opposition parties to collapse their structures and merge with the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ganduje spoke when Simon Lalong, immediate past governor of Plateau State and one of the ministers-designate, paid him a visit at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Recall that Nigeria currently has 18 registered political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but only the ruling APC, leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) are frequently in the news.
Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State explained that his leadership would improve the chances of the APC winning the 2027 general elections.
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The APC helmsman said: “It will certainly improve the chances of our party, especially in 2027. Not only that, we are coming out with a new blueprint to increase the followership of the party and this will include all strata of officials; those who are in APC and those who are in other political parties.
“I assure you; very soon, some of the political parties will merge with the APC. We are doing that underground.”
On the essence of his Tuesday meeting with a former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike who is also a minister-designate of the opposition PDP, Ganduje said: “You know Wike is a minister-designate. So he came, we discussed it because I was looking for him to congratulate him on that. He also congratulated me and we discussed that when he becomes minister fully he will work very hard in order to move the ministry he is given forward.”
When asked to speak on whether the meeting was to perfect plans for Wike’s defection to the APC, Ganduje said, “He is ready to cooperate. We didn’t discuss the issue of his coming to APC or not. That issue will arise later.”
Earlier, Lalong said as colleagues who were governors with Ganduje are always available for this kind of work, adding: “That is why we are rallying round to give him every help so that the party can also succeed.”
Dalori’s emergence as dep chair will heal wounds – Supporters
Meanwhile, supporters of the newly appointed Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, have said his emergence would heal wounds in the party.
Doris has replaced Senator Abubakar Kyari, who was deputy national chairman (North) and is now a minister-designate.
The supporters under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), North East zone, at a press conference addressed by its Coordinator, Comrade Bappah Hassan on Wednesday in Abuja, said Dalori would contribute immensely to the process of unifying and repositioning the party for future victories.
“We are thrilled to join the most eminent sons and daughters of the North East, the North, and indeed, the entire country in celebrating this great Nigerian. We are confident that the APC will be healed and keep soaring higher with his emergence,” he said.
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