The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, on Wednesday, sought a bailout for the ruling party over N8.9bn election debts.

Ganduje revealed that the party’s accounts had been garnisheed following the huge debt resulting from the cases filed by the opposition parties to challenge the elections of President Bola Tinubu, APC governors and legislators.

The former Kano State governor disclosed this at the National Executive Committee meeting of the APC, held a day after the party held its national caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In attendance were President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima; Senate President Goodwill Akpabio; Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari.

Others were the National Chairman of the APC, Ganduje; former Governor of Kebbi and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, members of the National Working Committee; APC state chairmen, among others.

However, some notable bigwigs did not attend the NEC meeting, including the immediate-past President Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the embattled former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, erstwhile Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.

Others were former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and former Speaker and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Briefing the party leadership about the state of the APC, Ganduje said the N8.9bn expenses were for pre-election legal battles, election cases and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections.

He, however, noted that the National Legal Adviser, Prof Abdul Kareem Kana (SAN), had been working to reduce the debt burden.

He said, “Your Excellencies, the current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663 from all the cases outlined above, ranging from legal engagements during the pre-election matters, election cases and appeals for legislative, governorship and presidential elections.

“The details are also contained in the document report from the office of the National Legal Adviser in your folder. The National Legal Adviser has been making frantic efforts toward reducing the debt burden through dialogue and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

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“However, we still passionately appeal to the National Executive Committee to intervene accordingly. It is important to note that some of our accounts are still garnisheed.”

The APC national chairman also begged Tinubu to help secure a parcel of land from the Federal Capital Territory Administration for the construction of a new secretariat.

The former Kano governor stated that the current structure is old and not befitting the status of a ruling party.

He said, “Your Excellencies, as part of our 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 Progressives Institute as well as the three wings of the party, we have formally applied for land at the Federal Capital Territory Administration that will drive this project.

“May I, therefore, appeal for the kind intervention of Mr President for this project to materialise?

“Let me once again applaud the Leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for initiating laudable programmes that would subsequently ensure rapid inclusivity.”

Ganduje thanked the party faithful for their steadfastness in the face of challenges and assured them that the party would continue to deliver on its electoral promises.

“Though the journey has been very challenging for us as a ruling party, given the big task we have at hand and the expectations from Nigerians, we can sufficiently submit that we have collectively risen to the occasion and challenges,” he said.

He further briefed the NEC on efforts taken so far to appease and reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

“Your Excellencies, we have also embarked on massive reconciliation of aggrieved party members, and this move is gradually yielding desired positive results for the party.

“Through dialogue, we have initiated high-level discussions amongst party leaders and other stakeholders with a view to resolving lingering differences between our members,” he stated.

The NEC passed a vote of confidence on Tinubu in appreciation of his leadership.

When the motion for Tinubu’s endorsement was raised, it was immediately seconded by Oshiomhole.

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The former governor hinged his conviction on the economic reforms introduced by the President, which he said had started yielding fruits.

He said, “I congratulate you, Mr President, the Vice President and even the leaders of the National Assembly because, without a collaborative legislative environment, reforms can be deformed.

“But under their leadership, reforms are truly ‘reforming’ everywhere. I thank you once again, Mr President and all the NEC members.”

The NEC also ratified the party leadership to the North-West to put an end to the agitation of anti-Ganduje critics and others who want the chairmanship to return to the North-Central.

Reacting, Tinubu applauded the NEC and the leadership of the party for keeping faith with his Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President also expressed gratitude to Nigerians and the APC National Working Committee for contributing massively to his electoral victory.

He said, “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 it with the minister in charge, and we will do something about it.

“The 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.

“Let the NEC find a way to celebrate our progressive ideals, and I promise you, our governors and Nigerians, that we will sustain these progressive changes. Everywhere in the world, especially in Europe, we have economic shocks, and we are doing everything possible.”

Tinubu said he was keen to stabilise the APC by resolving the lingering crisis in the state chapters of the party.

Therefore, he asked the party’s NWC to create a team to address the fault lines, appealing for calm during the peace talks.

“I’m grateful to all Nigerians for the electoral successes recorded from one state to the other. Governors, you have embraced these changes, and I thank the leadership of our party. I also thank members of the National Assembly for expeditiously considering the budget.

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“We can only build the party on a progressive platform to deliver good service to Nigerians.

“The National Working Committee is doing a very good job; I am pleased with them. However, there are a few conflicts in the various states.

“Let’s set up committees to look into the lingering problems in the states and appeal to these party leaders in various states to please be calm and be collaborative,” the President said.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday titled, ‘At the APC NEC meeting, President Tinubu receives a vote of confidence and pledges to work harder for Nigeria’s prosperity.’

The President’s push for reconciliation follows an emerging crisis in at least seven state chapters of the APC as politicking begins ahead of the 2027 general polls.

In Kano State, for instance, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, has vowed to resign if Abdullahi Abbas retains his position as the state APC chairman.

Similarly, in Benue State, a power tussle between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, deepened divisions within the APC.

In Lagos State, the APC is managing a leadership crisis within the state House of Assembly.

The turmoil began on January 13, 2025, when 36 out of 40 lawmakers voted to impeach Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, citing allegations of poor leadership, habitual lateness, high-handedness, and misappropriation of funds.

In his absence, Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda was appointed as the new Speaker.

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The crisis has prompted interventions from high-ranking APC leaders, including the President, former APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, and former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba.

The APC is also contending with challenges in Adamawa, Delta, Rivers, Zamfara and Bayelsa.

In Osun State, the APC is stabilising after a group led by the former governor, Rauf Aregbesola, finally left the party.

At the NEC meeting, the President also expressed his determination to work harder for the country’s greater good, assuring that the Nigerian economy was on the path of recovery as the leadership cast a vote of confidence in him.

He said the commendation from the party’s highest decision-making organ was a call for more hard work. He promised not to fail the party faithful.

“I am happy with your vote of confidence, and I accept it. The vote is a challenge to do more work; we will vigorously pursue our sovereignty in food security, investment and development.

“I am happy with food prices coming down, especially as Ramadan approaches. The sun is high, and the sky is bright outside. While the rest of the world unravels, we see growth in Nigeria. We are seeing a gradual return to stability. We are seeing improvements. I thank you, governors,” the President said.

He thanked Nigerians for their continued belief and trust in the ruling party.

The Nigerian leader also pledged to continue working assiduously with other arms of government to ensure the greater good for Nigerians and commended APC governors and executives for their continued and unwavering commitment.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting Tinubu in lifting the nation from its economic and developmental woes.

“The Senate will expeditiously pass bills that would enhance our national development, improve the economy and redirect our national pathway,” he said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, commended the President for his vision and courage in making unpopular but essential decisions.

He said the decisions were pivotal for Nigeria’s developmental efforts.

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The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, defended the absence of some party heavyweights.

Speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, he said, “The presence or absence of some party leaders in today’s meeting is not a problem. I have never known the caucus meeting of our party or the NEC to be attended 100 per cent by all of the members.

“I’m not sure that there’s really any political party that attains 100 per cent attendance at meetings. There is a lot of back-end negotiation of the convenience and availability of key leaders who were required to be at the meeting.

“For example, when you have a president as busy as President Bola Tinubu with his schedule, it’s not a tea party to reconcile his movements and schedule to get him to come sit at a meeting for four hours. It’s not that easy.

“So, whatever time you pick will be convenient for some and not convenient for others. That’s just the way it is. So that’s the first point I make about those who came today. Now I can’t stand here and tell you why they didn’t come. But be rest assured that every member of the caucus and NEC were invited.”

According to him, the attendance at the two-day events was comprehensive enough.

“As a matter of fact, we enlarged the list today. We had more members invited than we did previously. So, quite to the contrary, the trend is towards accommodating more leaders as members of NEC,” he stated.

Morka, however, took a swipe at ex-Governor El-Rufai, saying his recent public attack on the party was unbecoming of someone of his status.

The APC spokesman said it was one thing to be aggrieved and another to be seen dragging one’s party and its leaders in the public.

He said, “There’s a difference between party men and people who speak because they have a grievance. Grievance-driven commentaries, to me, are not to be taken that seriously.

“I was prepared to respond to El-Rufai and to suggest to him that some of his recent engagements are unnecessary for someone who occupies the position that he has acquired in this country.

“Men who are respected must also continue to justify the respect that they get. It’s not a good idea that once you are dissatisfied, especially when it comes to personal experiences, you want to visit your grievance on a system of equality. But you are just one individual. Every vote is just one person.

“He’s a highly respected citizen, but my advice and counsel to him is that he needs to think in perspective of his status. Otherwise, if he continues to engage, people have the right to reply. APC and its organs are working as effectively as possible. How else do you explain the vibrancy or the deluge of people into the party?

“Today, we have more than 18 legislators in the National Assembly, if I am not mistaken, who have already defected from the opposition parties into our party. If their parties were working more efficiently, they wouldn’t be coming to join us,” he noted.
(PUNCH)