Lukman rejects Ganduje as APC chairman, says it’s political suicide

Lukman rejects Ganduje as APC chairman, says it’s political suicide

Vice-Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-West, Salihu Lukman, says it will be insensitive for members of the party to name Abdullahi Ganduje as national chairman.

There have been rumours suggesting that Ganduje, immediate-past governor of Kano, is favoured to become the APC chairman.

Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore, former national chairman and secretary of the party, had resigned from their positions earlier in the week.

In a statement on Thursday, Lukman said anointing the former governor as chairman would distort the party’s zoning arrangement.

He added that it would be “political suicide” if the chairmanship goes to the North-West, where Ganduje hails from.

“So far, as things are, only the president and governors’ blocs are active in the negotiation to produce and engage leaders of APC,” Lukman said.

“Already, part of the speculations emerging from the governors bloc is that Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is being considered to succeed Sen. Abdullahi Adamu.

“If this is true, it only suggests insensitivity and taking members of the party for granted.

“This is without prejudice to the person of Dr. Ganduje.

“This is because such a choice will completely distort the zoning arrangement that informed the present configuration of the leadership of the national assembly.

“With the speaker of House of Representatives and deputy senate president coming from North-West and North-Central shut out of consideration, to propose the party’s national chairman to move to the North-West from the North-Central will be unjust and almost a political suicide.”

Lukman said the position of national chairman should remain in the North-Central.

“We must caution our governors; since the emergence of APC, governors have served almost as the conscience of the party,” he said.