A new report by Leadership newspaper disclosed that the presidency may have given stakeholders the green light to begin the search for a replacement for the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.

The report published by Leadership on Friday May 17, also disclosed that besides the North Central zone producing the next chairman, the presidency led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, might be open to allowing the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) camp within the party to produce Ganduje’s replacement as part of the appeasement moves.

A top source within the APC camp disclosed to Leadership newspaper on Friday that Tinubu backed the move for stakeholders to begin the search for Ganduje’s replacement.

The source stated thus: “The Villa, which has been silent over Ganduje’s recent political travail, is said to have “commissioned” APC governors from the North Central geo-political zone to begin a search for a new chairman from the region as originally planned by the party.”

Speaking further, the source disclosed that those opposed to Ganduje’s continued stay, including a serving senator who was former governor of a South South state, listed his perceived handling of the Edo and Ondo primaries as well as the unfolding drama surrounding the probe into his tenure as Kano state governor.

The report also claimed that Ganduje’s woes, is being compounded by an alleged plan for the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in 2023, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to return to the APC.

The above claim was confirmed to LEADERSHIP newspaper on Friday by a former commissioner and APC chieftain in Kano state, Musa Ilyasu Kwankwaso.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday, called on security agencies to maintain vigilance over the electioneering process to prevent violent attacks and negative mobilization by political parties, candidates, and their supporters during campaigns.

Speaking at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Abuja, Yakubu emphasized the need for security agencies to protect registrants, registration personnel, equipment, observers, and journalists covering the Continuous Voters’ Registration ahead of the upcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections.

The Edo State governorship election is scheduled for September 21, 2024, while the Ondo State election will take place on November 16, 2024.

The CVR in both states will run simultaneously from Monday, May 27, to Wednesday, June 5, from 9 am to 3 pm daily, including weekends.

Campaigning by political parties began on April 24, 2024, and will conclude at midnight on September 19, 2024.

Yakubu underscored the responsibility of security agencies to ensure the enforcement of the law throughout the election period, stressing the importance of a peaceful and orderly process.

He said, “We need security protection for the registrants, registration personnel, equipment, observers, and journalists that will cover the CVR exercise.

“I urge you to keep your eyes on the electioneering process to prevent violent attacks or negative mobilisation by political parties, candidates, and their supporters during their campaigns.

“Similarly, the use of the power of incumbency to deny opposition parties and candidates access to public facilities such as radio and television stations, public buildings for campaigns and rallies, or even outdoor advertising through the imposition of excessive fees and levies often results in the breach of the peace.

“These actions, including the mutual destruction of campaign materials and facilities, violate the provisions of Sections 91 to 97 of the Electoral Act 2022. The security agencies must ensure the enforcement of the law,” he said.

The National Publicity Director of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bala Ibrahim, has said the party is not disturbed about the meeting between the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, and some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).


Recall that Obi held a closed-door meeting on Monday with former Vice President and the 2023 PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Abuja.

Obi also met separately with a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Speaking with The Punch, Ibrahim said the ruling party was not intimidated nor would it lose sleep over the meeting because it is inconsequential.

Ibrahim jeered at the speculations that the LP and the PDP might be planning a merger to wrest power from the ruling party in 2027.

The APC stalwart said both parties are increasingly losing grip and support and are probably in a panic situation.

He said, “In a democracy, meeting of politicians is not forbidden. Parties, people and politicians can meet to decide what to do politically and democratically. As long as their meetings are not designed to derail democracy, there is nothing wrong with that.

“The PDP, Labour Party and others together were the same parties defeated by the APC. The ruling party took them to the cleaners where the president scored the highest votes. They are free to meet. But as they are meeting, so is the APC with a view to strengthening our support base to woo more people, based on the dividend of democracy extended to them by the president and our party.

“Obi’s meeting with Atiku and others is nothing to make the APC lose its sleep. You talked about the party being under pressure. How? These are parties that are increasingly losing grip and support. They are probably in a panic situation. Now, they want to sit and look at what to do with a view to increasing their support base ahead of 2027. But that is too long a time to go.

“This is also not to say we are going to be sleeping between now and when the time comes. We don’t talk about crossing the bridge until we get there. By that time, if they feel like coming out to merge, that will even be better for democracy. But whatever they resolve by 2027, we are going to beat them hands down.”