As the intrigues generated by the jostle for who emerges the new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) intensifies, the Coalition of North-Central Leaders of party, on Thursday, threw its weight behind former Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, to replace the immediate past National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Convener of the coalition, Okpokwu Ogenyi, stated that though the current zoning formula cedes the office to their zone, the APC North Central leaders have agreed to forfeit the office of national chairman in favour of Ganduje.

The development came barely two days after APC chairmen in seven North West states also endorsed the 73-year-old at a meeting held in Kaduna.

Though, a former satte governor and Nasarawa South Senator, Tanko Al-Makura, Ameh Ebute, the sixth President of the Nigerian Senate during the third Republic, and former governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, all from North Central, are believed to be eying the office of the APC National Chairman, the alleged endorsement of Ganduje as the preferred choice of President Bola Tinubu and the APC governors has since been generating controversy and mixed feelings among the top echelon and other party faithful. While a few chieftains believe the next national chairman should emerge from Nasarawa State in line with the zoning arrangement of the party, not a few have backed the choice of Ganduje.

Opposition to Ganduje had come from the unlikeliest of quarters in Dr Salihu Lukman, who questioned why key power blocs within the party, including members of the Governor Hope Uzodinma-led Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) went out of their ways to endorse Ganduje for the seat zoned to the North Central geo-political zone of the country.

Lukman contended that there are legal and moral issues on the development, urging President Tinubu to distance himself from the alleged committal of the infraction with respect to the installation of Ganduje as national chairman.

Lukman argued that the moves to appoint Ganduje was in breach of Article 31.5(i) of the APC constitution dealing with what to do following the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the national chairman.

He contended that based on the provision of the APC constitution, the Nasarawa State Executive Committee of the party, where Sen. Adamu comes, from should have the right to propose replacement, which should be endorsed by the State Congress and the Zonal Executive Committee. Following which the name shall be forwarded to the NWC for onward transmission to NEC and approval.

He stressed that no section of the APC constitution gives anyone, including President Asiwaju Tinubu, the power to act in any contrary way.

Lukman added: “Related to this is the fact that negotiations for leadership of the National Assembly ceded the position of National Chairman of the party to North Central. For whatever reasons, to proceed to act arbitrarily and move the position of National Chairman to North West will be unfair and unjust.

“It simply amounts to taking the people of North Central for granted. Just imagine if the South West, where President Asiwaju Tinubu comes from, is to be treated by any leader of Nigeria that way. The related moral question is why the choice of Dr. Ganduje.”

Lukman resigned his position as the Vice National chairman, North West, upon realising that the entire seven chairmen of the party in his zone, comprising Isa Acida of Sokoto, Tukur Danfulani (Zamfara), Abubakar Kana (Kebbi), Abubakar Gumel (Jigawa), Muhammed Ali (Katsina), Abdullahi Abbas (Kano) and Emmanuel Jekada (Kaduna) were not on the same page with him on the matter.

Acida, who referred to the sacrifices made by Ganduje when he traversed the length and breath of the country to canvass support for Tinubu during the electioneering period as basis of their decision, described the impending appointment of Ganduje as the national chairman of the party as a welcome development.

The coalition of APC North Central youths gave vent to the issue, arguing that there was nothing wrong in ceding the chairmanship seat to the North West geo-political zone.

Convener of the group, Ogenyi, expressed optimism that APC under Ganduje would surely complement the implementation of President Tinubu’s blueprint to turn around the fortunes of the country.

He noted: “As North Central youths, one may be tempted to ask why we should not clamour for the position to be retained in the zone. The truth is, we have contributed our quota and wish other zones also be given the opportunity to participate in the party’s administration.

“We the North Central people are far above greed and selfishness when it comes to the national interest. We firmly believe that Dr Ganduje is the best man for the job at this moment. Remember, Ganduje served Kano State for eight years and he performed credibly well. Kano, under Ganduje, became an example of development not only in Nigeria but Africa at large.”

As part of the bargain to appease those opposed to Ganduje’s choice as chairman of the party, it is understood that the seat of the Deputy National Chairman, North of the party, hitherto occupied by Sen Abubakar Kyari, is to be ceded to the North Central.

Sen Kyari, alongside the National Women leader, Dr Betta Edu, were among the first set of ministerial nominees unveiled by President Tinubu last week.

The decision by President Tinubu to settle for Ganduje may not be unconnected with his desire to have someone, who is on the same page with him, as the National Chairman of the party.

Tinubu and Ganduje have a long history of friendship and relationship as they have not only been seen together at various political events but have expressed support for each other’s political ambitions.

In 2022, Tinubu while felicitating Ganduje on his 73rd birthday, described him as a reliable, committed and faithful friend. In July 2022, Ganduje disclosed that he, alongside party stalwarts, advised Tinubu to pick a Muslim running mate for the 2023 presidential election out of political exigency. In March 2021, Tinubu commended Ganduje as a transformative and reformative leader.

But for Tinubu’s show of support, Ganduje would not have actualised his reelection bid in the 2019 poll after the first round of balloting was declared inconclusive in controversial circumstances.

At Tinubu’s instance, Ganduje twice chaired the APC Osun governorship poll campaign council in 2018 and 2022. In the 2018 poll, Gboyega Oyetola emerged victorious after the election was declared inconclusive.

Ganduje was actually at the centre of the Tinubu presidency project as far back as 2021, alongside a team of like-minded progressives, comprising the former Katsina state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, Senators Kabiru Marafa and Abu Ibrahim.

It was the Ganduje-led group that incorporated other top notchers of the party from across the six geopolitical zones of the country to start the push for Tinubu to clinch the APC presidential ticket against the wishes of a section of the cabal that wielded enormous powers under the President Muhammadu Buhari presidency.

It was said that no fewer than 10 strategy meetings, which had the support of Tinubu, took place at the Kano Government House at Ganduje’s instance.

“Asiwaju was actually aware of the initiative by Ganduje because he trusted him so much. Look at some of the troubles Ganduje went through towards the end of the Buhari administration. It was because of his support for Tinubu. Those who fought Tinubu did everything possible to pull Ganduje down,” a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Guardian.

Ganduje’s political deftness and performance in the recently held general elections was also seen as an asset to President Tinubu, who would also count on the support of the North West geo-political zone in the 2027 general elections.

Efforts by Ganduje, alongside governors and chieftains of the party, ensured Tinubu performed well in the presidential election in Kano State in the 2023 poll, outscoring his rival Atiku Abubakar by over 300,000 votes. Ganduje’s pedigree as a true party man, who joined forces with members of the legacy parties, further endeared him to President Tinubu.

Ganduje’s political journey is traceable to the second Republic when he served as the Kano state Assistant Secretary of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) from 1979 to 1980.

He contested the House of Representatives election in 1979 under the NPN but lost the election. Between 1984 and 1994, he held various government positions in the Federal Capital Development Authority, and in 1994 he became the Kano State Commissioner of Ministry of Works, Housing, and Transport.

In 1998, he joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and aspired to be the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the primaries but lost to his estranged political ally, Engr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Ganduje served as the deputy to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and at the same time local government commissioner between 1999 and 2003. From 2003 to 2007, he served as the Special Adviser (Political) to the Minister of Defence. Ganduje also served as executive secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission in Ndjamena.

In 2014, he was selected as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for the Governor of Kano State and went on to defeat the PDP candidate, Malam Salihu Takai, with 1,546,434 votes against Takai’s 509,726 votes in the 2015 governorship election.

In 2019, he won re-election for a second term, defeating Kwankwaso’s son-in-law Abba Kabir Yusuf, in a highly disputed election.

A chieftain of the party, Comrade Mohammed Garba assured that Ganduje would live up to the expectations of well-meaning supporters of the party.

“I think with his wealth of experience both as a public officer and as a politician, he has the capacity and ability. He is also very sound and educated. The way things are going, you need somebody of his calibre to administer the party. He has two masters degrees and a PhD.

“There is need to have somebody who knows what it means to restructure the party. He has seen it all and has the connections and friends to get things done. In fact, he is so worried about how party activities are being conducted. He came up with ideas on modern ways of managing a party.

“Unfortunately, because we are used to our old ways of party procedures, it became very difficult for him to implement them. So, I am sure with him as chairman, APC would be restructured, and you can rest assured that there would be activities in the party throughout the year, not only when election is around the corner.

“Ganduje is somebody who believes in constitutionality and orderliness. He would look at the party constitution and where there is need for amendment, he would act accordingly. He would make the party active at both the ward, local, states, and national levels.

“He has all it takes in terms of experience and exposure. He is also very loyal and would assist the President in the implementation of his policies and programmes,” Garba said.

Prince Hilliard Eta, who was acting National Chairman of the APC described Ganduje as a personal friend, adding that he would surely be in support of any decision taken by President Tinubu as far as the running of the party is concerned.

“I would support this president anytime any day on any issue. I am not saying that the President would not make mistake but I know that if he makes a mistake, it would be an honest mistake. This president is my president. I put my political trajectory on the line for him. So, I would not be on the other side of the divide on any matter he is interested in,” he said.

The Cross River-born politician also faulted the notions held in certain quarters that the party is in deep crisis over the choice of Ganduje as party chairman.

“If all of us agree, that won’t be a democracy because the moment you remove the element of choice, that won’t be a democracy. And democracy is difficult because you must disagree; the ability to bring people who disagree together is why people are elected to manage political parties.

“So, the APC is doing very well as a political party in handling issues. There is nothing that can be called a threat to the existence of the party,” he said.