The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has described his predecessor and former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, as “Co-Chairman” of the ruling party.
Yilwatda said he would rely heavily on Ganduje’s long-standing political experience, guidance, and networks to consolidate and strengthen the APC.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday during a condolence visit by Ganduje over the death of his mother, the APC chairman said President Bola Tinubu had instructed him to collaborate closely with his predecessor.
Yilwatda stated that his duty is just to coordinate the membership 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.
“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,” Yilwatda said.
Yilwatda noted that Ganduje’s long political career, which began in the days of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), placed him in a position to provide valuable counsel.
“At that time, I was only in primary school. I recall seeing Governor Rimi visit Solomon Lar in Jos in the 70s and 80s. One day, he came to commission a project at my school. I was just in Form 2, waving at them with my classmates. I never knew what politics truly meant.
“By then, people like you had already mastered the ropes of politics. So I need your experience, your guidance. 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,” Yilwatda said.
In his response, Ganduje said his cordial relationship with the new APC chairman should serve as a model for resolving the long history of friction between political successors and predecessors in Nigeria.
“One important thing is that the problem between the successor and his predecessor, which is one of the issues that the APC has solved.
“Since 1999, the problem between former governors and their successors has always been an issue in many states. Not only in governorship, but in other political positions too.
“So our relationship is the beginning of solving that kind of problem, not only in the APC but in the wider atmosphere of democracy. I have to congratulate you for this new appointment,” the former APC chairman stated.
The post ‘I Am Just A Coordinator, Ganduje Still APC Co-Chairman’ – Yilwatda Speaks After Weeks In Office appeared first on Naija News.
