The new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Abdullahi Ganduje, has promised to hit the ground running to ensure the victory of the ruling party in the forthcoming November 11, 2023 governorship polls in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa.
Ganduje stated this while speaking on Thursday, during his acceptance speech, following his emergence at the 12th APC National Executive Committee meeting, held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
At the meeting on Thursday, the APC NEC also elected former Senate spokesman, Ajibola Basiru, as its National Secretary.
Ganduje after he emerged as the Chairman, thanked President Bola Tinubu, and other party leaders while promising that internal democracy would prevail in the party during his tenure.
He also pledged to ensure a scientific register of party members and pay utmost attention to election management and conflict resolution within the party.
According to him, there would be a level playing ground for all party members during the party’s primaries.
He however pledged to hit the ground running to ensure victory for the party’s forthcoming off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa.
“Our main focus will be promoting party unity and defending and increasing the number of executive and legislative seats we currently hold.
He added “Under my watch, internal democracy will be strictly adhered to with a deliberate policy to engage in wider consultations and making party functional throughout the year.
“We will ensure a level playing field for all party members that want to contest elections under the party’s platform. Our primary elections would be free, transparent and fair,” he assures.
The former Kano governor however promised to execute more reforms in the party in alignment with the current political landscape
“We all agreed that we must unite our members to achieve support for our government to respond adequately, urgently and assertively to the challenges that Nigerians confront daily,” he said.
“Our party must remain rooted among the people, must demonstrate a willingness to serve and make sacrifices, and must be willing to acknowledge and address our weaknesses.
“It’s a huge privilege and an honour and a great responsibility to take on this job and I will do it with everything I have to the best of my ability for my party and my country,” he added.
Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states are part of the eight states with off-season governorship elections due to past litigations and court judgements, while Others are Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo StaStatesspectively.
The ruling party had won the 2023 presidential election and 16 state governorship elections, during the 2023 general election.