The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed that consultations are ongoing to select the successor of its former National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, who resigned last week.
Felix Morka said this on Sunday while responding to questions ON Channels Television.
He noted the party was moving swiftly to fill the leadership vacancy left by Ganduje’s exit.
“This is an extraordinary situation where the National Chairman of our party has resigned, and we will take steps immediately to fill that vacancy.
“The NEC meeting of our party will be convened imminently. No date has been set yet, but I believe that in the coming days we will determine that date and proceed to convene the meeting to initiate constitutional procedures and replace our National Chairman who has just resigned,” Morka said.
Further asked how soon the process might be concluded, Morka replied, “Really soon. We’ve been consulting, and there are a lot of stakeholders required for NEC to convene.
“As we speak, that process has been triggered, and consultations are ongoing. We hope that in the coming days we will be at a point where we can identify a date agreeable to all of those who need to be there to make this happen. We will continue from where Ganduje has stopped.”
Responding to speculation that former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso might be joining the APC, Morka stated that no discussion is in sight.
“The party I speak for has said nothing about Kwankwaso possibly joining. We have not made that determination and are not able to make it at the moment,” he stated.
Morka also dismissed suggestions that there were internal issues affecting the party’s operations.
“The party is running as it should run. People are entitled to have their moments, but that does not indicate dysfunction,” he said.
Commenting on reports that President Bola Tinubu may have been unhappy with Ganduje before his resignation, the APC spokesman said such claims were speculative.
“The President is at liberty to speak at any moment on any issue. He has not spoken, so people will speculate. But we cannot act based on speculation,” he said.
Ganduje’s resignation, which took effect immediately, was officially announced by Morka in a statement issued on Thursday, 27 June.
According to the party, Ganduje stepped down to attend to “urgent and important personal matters.”
“In his letter of resignation addressed to the National Working Committee through the National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, Ganduje expressed gratitude to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Tinubu, for the opportunity to serve the party at the highest level,” the statement noted.
