News Editor
Ahead of the meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) slated for September 12, the APC North Central Forum has revealed that some individuals and groups have been bribed and recruited by some enemy forces to betray the region by endorsing the embattled National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
In a statement issued to newsmen in Jos the Plateau State capital on Tuesday by the forum’s chairman, Alhaji Saleh Mandung Zazzaga, the forum said the desperation of the dark forces of the North Central region is already showing through their greed and insensitivity in betraying the region in terms of the National Chairmanship position of the party.
According to Zazzaga, the North Central region will not be deterred by the action of the few betrayers, and will not compromise anything or stop at nothing to clinch back the National Chairmanship of the APC which has been arranged by the party to be in the region.
Zazzaga who was also a member of the Presidential Campaign Council in the last election explained that after the resignation of the former National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, who is from Nasarawa State, and as well as from the North Central region, the position shouldn’t have been taken to another region.
The Chairman said the role played by the North Central region in the success of the APC since 2015 cannot be overemphasized, including the role which was played in the emergence of President Bola Tinubu in 2023, stressing that the region was also able to clinch five of the governorship seats in the six states of the region.
“Therefore, the endorsement of Ganduje on Monday by a former President of the Senate, Ameh Ebute, who claims to be representing some APC elders from the Central APC for Ganduje to remain as the party’s national chairman is laughable and inconsequential. Ebute happens to be the most unpopular Senate president who only spent three months and nothing notable was done by him, neither is he known for any achievement.
“The endorsement which comes four days after the North Central Governors’ Forum, led by the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, who also endorsed Ganduje is only showing the selfishness of some of the people from the region who are only doing things for their personal interest and not in the interest of the region and its people. This is because there is no way someone or a group will claim to be from a region and at the same time will be doing things inimical to the progress and interest of the region.
“First, Senator Amen Ebute from Benue State is a spent force who has no relevance even in his state. As an Idoma man, who has he ever mentored or produced as leader in his community? Not even a Councilor. And it is the same confusion he is causing in Benue State APC that he is being brought to the North Central to cause, but we wont allow him.
“Besides, Ebute is a lone-ranger traversing his lonely political space with no company whatsoever. He is just an indigent stooge, clearly speaking the words of his paymasters to betray his geopolitical zone for a paltry bowl of porridge.
“And as for governor Sule, we have already addressed him over the weekend and everyone can see clearly his betrayal tendencies and selfish moves. We are giving him one week to apologize to the people of North Central for his action otherwise we will begin to mobilize our party faithful and supporters against him for his betrayal Thankfully, no North Central region governor backed him because they all know the importance of the struggle for the betterment of the region.
“In all, we urge everyone to check our forum out; we have been consistently pushing for its interest and progress of the APC as well as the North Central region for years now through our actions, humanitarian services, training, publication, human and community development, security and educational advancement of the people. And our support for Tinubu has always been evident before, during and after the 2023 election; and not the few hurriedly recruited people who are just coming out to work against the interest of the region ahead of the forthcoming NEC meeting of the party.
“And regarding the statement yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the embattled National Chairman on Public Enlightenment, one Chief Oliver Okpala, we won’t want to dignify him with any response as he is not from our region and does not understand our struggle, and that is why most of the things he said were irrational and offbeat,” Zazzaga said.
