Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has reportedly initiated a strategic move to replace Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The development follows simmering discontent among key APC figures in the North Central zone, where Ganduje’s predecessor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, hails from.
Ganduje, who assumed the position after the removal of Senator Adamu amid internal party strife, now faces opposition from stakeholders who argue that the party’s constitution dictates that Adamu’s replacement should have emerged from the North Central zone.
Sources within the APC have disclosed that Governor Bello, whose eight-year tenure in Kogi State is nearing its end, is positioning himself as a viable successor to Ganduje.
The move is seen as a response to the dissatisfaction with Ganduje’s leadership, with critics pointing to perceived imbalances in appointments favouring the North West zone.
Jackson Lekan Ojo, a notable party chieftain, confirmed the internal discord while speaking to Daily Trust.
His words:
“It is very true. If the public sees it as a rumour, it is no longer a rumour. There are heavy moves to oust Ganduje. The appointments were lopsided. The North West, where Ganduje comes from, got the two ministers of defence.
That same zone got the deputy senate president. The same zone got the speaker of the House of Representatives. It equally got the national chairman of the party.
“Ab initio, there were a lot of controversies. A lot of persons and personalities, principalities and powers in the APC, Ganduje was not their choice candidate. Ganduje, was like, imposed by Mr. President because of the political relationship between them.
Mr. President himself should be able to sacrifice Ganduje now, if he is to become a stumbling block to him in 2027.
“Ganduje has no capacity to resist this. Right from the beginning, he was imposed by Mr. President, and an imposition that does not carry a lot of people along will not last. Abdullahi Adamu was imposed by the former president. Did he last? Omisore was imposed. Did he last? So let’s watch out.”
Another source, who pleaded anonymity, said, “The game plan is to force Ganduje out of office before the next general elections. Plans are already on to force him out. Nothing is impossible in politics. You can’t rule this out.”
Dockaysworld gathered that before now, there were rumours that Governor Bello was planning to transition into the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, but a new monarch in the town has already emerged.
