The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, on Tuesday, disclosed that the party would prefer having a consensus candidate than having an unpopular candidate for the Anambra governorship ticket ahead of the November 25 election.

Ganduje also pledged to present an award to Anambra APC if they could be united and produce a consensus candidate to avoid the stress and the financial jamboree that comes with holding the conventional primary election to elect a candidate.

The former Kano State governor disclosed this when he hosted an APC support group known as Booth 2 Booth with Bola Tinubu at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

While assuring them that his leadership will ensure a fair and credible primary election in Anambra, Ganduje urged stakeholdersjostling for the ticket not to throw the state into chaos.

He said, “As a party, if we are to have good primary in the state, all our stakeholders are supposed to be born again. They (aspirants) are educated and rich. But we have told them that this time, it will not be business as usual. Let us support the system.

“We know they are very rich. But they should not use the money to scatter the state. They should use the money to develop the state and the APC. In fact, I would be highly interested if they could produce a candidate through consensus, and I would give them an award.

“You mention the option of direct or indirect primary. As an institution, I assure you, we will sit with the National Working Committee in conjunction with the leadership of the party in the state and agree on whichever method is best for the primary.”

Earlier, the National Coordinator of the group, Iyke Madu, told members of the National Working Committee that they are ready to work together only if the primary election winner emerges through a credible process.

He said, “We are here to make a request to see to it that a credible, free, free and transparent primary is conducted in Anambra State. This is to avoid the pitfalls of 2021, where primary election results were announced in hotel rooms, and a candidate who got 300,000 votes in the primaries could not even get up to 50,000 votes at the main contest against other parties.

“There is also the issue of insecurity in Anambra. As we speak, even the state government could not conduct their own local government elections due to insecurity. So we are here only requesting for the party to adopt an indirect primary method. Our constitution provides for that.”

By Francesca Hangeior

Senator Samuel Anyanwu has resumed office as National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He drove into the party’s National Secretariat at Wadata House through the service gate located behind the building without fanfare.

Anyanwu then exchanged pleasantries with the handful of secretariat staff available before proceeding into his office.

This is coming barely 48 hours after he petitioned security agencies to come to
his aid to stop what he described as an attempt by the party’s 12 governors to cause chaos with their decision to recognize Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye, another claimant to the position.

The Governor Bala Mohammed-led 12-member PDP Governors Forum had in a communique issued after their monthly meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Friday, recognized Ude-Okoye as National Secretary basing their decision on an Appeal Court Judgement.

However, Anyanwu who said he was in possession of a valid stay of execution order insists on remaining in office until his pending appeal at the Supreme Court is dispensed with.

Meanwhile, normal activities are going on at the Secretariat. Regular policemen and women attached to the Secretariat complex can be seen at their duty posts.

By Francesca Hangeior

A businessman and philanthropist, Olanrewaju George, has described All Progressives Congress as the right platform to drive development for the people.

George stated this in a letter to the APC Chairman of Ward 4, Sagamu Local Government, Ogun state on Monday when he officially defected to APC from the Labour Party alongside his team and key supporters.

He expressed confidence in the party’s vision.

He pledged loyalty to the party and a commitment to its growth and unity.

The LP defector emphasised his readiness to collaborate with party leaders and participate actively in its activities to strengthen its structure and electoral prospects.

“This decision marks a new chapter in our political journey. We are dedicated to working with the APC to achieve success and good governance,” he stated.

George, who is the Aare Tayese of Ikenne, said youth inclusion, provision of basic infrastructures and quality representatives were reasons why he re-joined the APC.

He said, “When you look around, you see the hopelessness on the faces of our youths from years of neglect by their elected representatives. When you look around, you can see that our people lack the basic amenities to make their lives easier.

“Everywhere you look, you see the glaring need for quality representation and APC is bridging the gap in these areas.”

George contested the Remo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives in 2023.