Yilwatda: I’ve President Tinubu’s Directive to Work with Ex-Party Chairman, Ganduje

•APC says it won’t print single presidential nomination form for president, to hold interactive session with national and state assembly members

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, yesterday, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had directed him to work closely with his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Yilwatda, who described himself as a coordinator of APC for now, added that he would depend heavily on Ganduje’s experience and knowledge to run the party.
That was as Ganduje said his relationship with Yilwatda remained cordial.
Speaking during a condolence visit to him over the loss of his mother by Ganduje, Yilwatda declared that he would need experience, guidance and the learning curve of Ganduje.
He stated, “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked me to work with you, to reach out to you as well about partnership. I told him I would regard you still as a Chairman in partnership with me. You are still the co-Chairman of the party (APC).
“I am only a coordinator. My duty is simply to coordinate the membership of this party. But the party belongs to all of us. We are all collective leaders of the party.
“My doors are open, the office is open, the partnership remains open, and the friendship remains open. So, never lock your door against me—and I know you will not—because we have worked together long before this time.
“Moreover, by experience and by virtue of politics, you have been there long before me. Since the time of the NPN, you have been part of the political scene.
“At that time, I was only in primary school. I recall that we used to see Governor Rimi come to Jos in the 70s and 80s to visit Solomon Lar. One day, he came to commission a project at my school.
“I was just in Form 2, waving at them along with my classmates — I never knew what politics truly meant. By then, people like you had already mastered the ropes of politics, while we didn’t even know the definition of politics.
“So I need your experience. I need your guidance. The learning curve still rests with you. I will depend heavily on your experience, your connections, and your contacts to ensure we solidify this party and build it together, so that we can win more elections.”
Earlier, Ganduje said his relationship with his successor should be a good example for successors and predecessors.
He stated, “One important thing is the problem between successor and his predecessor, which is one of the issues that APC has solved. So in order to show example, I am sure you know that since 1999, the problem between former governors and their successors has always been an issue up till now in many states of the federation.
“Not only in governorship, but in other positions, especially in politics. So, our relationship is beginning to solve that kind of problem. Not only in APC but in the whole atmosphere of democracy. I have to congratulate you for this new appointment.”
Meanwhile, APC said despite the endorsement of Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, it would give opportunity to anyone who wished to contest the presidential primary. National Organising Secretary of APC, Sulaiman Argungu, disclosed this in Abuja while briefing journalists on the success the party recorded at the just concluded August 16 legislative bye-elections.
Argungu stressed that APC as a democratic party would give other members the opportunity to express themselves.
He stated, “The aspiration of the people would be the wish of the party. As leaders of the party today, the NWC, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next presidential candidate of the party.
“By extension, other organs have done similar things. Governments in most of the states, zones in most of the six political zones, have also adopted the same.
“But that does not mean that the door is closed. That does not mean that when time comes, like we did always, we will make our timetable known so that for anybody who wants to aspire to be the next President of this country, under the platform of All Progressives Congress, we will not deny him that opportunity to come and purchase form.”
He added, “We will allow him to come and pay. So that he can exercise his franchise as a member of the APC. We have never said it for any time, for any day that we have closed the door. But we are only telling people that we appreciate what Mr. President is doing to the good people of this country.”
Argungu also revealed that the party would schedule an interactive session with all elected senators, members of the House of Representatives, and state Houses of Assembly members in Abuja.
He stated that the session would serve as a platform to share ideas, build trust and also help chart a common course for engagements at both national and state levels.
According to him, “This is a remarkable achievement and a reaffirmation of the confidence Nigerians continue to repose in the APC. These victories are not just statistics; they are a reaffirmation of the trust Nigerians continue to place in the APC.
“They demonstrate the strength, resilience, and growing acceptance of our party nationwide. They reflect the belief of the Nigerian people in our capacity to deliver purposeful leadership and good governance.
“The APC will schedule an Interactive Session with all elected Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly Members soonest, in Abuja.
“This session will serve as a platform to share ideas and build trust. Help chart a common course for engagements at both national and state levels. Strengthen the alignment of our elected representatives with the vision of the APC and the expectations of Nigerians.”

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