APC: Lukman Reconnects With Ganduje 2 Months After Resigning From NWC Over Ex-Gov’s Emergence As Nat’l Chairman

Two months after resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) over the emergence of Abdullahi Ganduje as the party’s national chairman, Salihu Lukman, the former national Vice-chairman (North-West) of the APC, visited Ganduje on Thursday in Abuja.

Lukman had resigned in July 2023, criticising President Bola Tinubu for the way he was handling the affairs of the party, noting it was at variance with his core values.

His resignation came after he warned against the emergence of Ganduje in a letter to the president.

On Thursday however, Lukman visited Ganduje supposedly to invite him to the launch of his upcoming book titled “APC and Transition Politics.”

Lukman revealed that the book talks about how the party’s leaders overcame past challenges, including the efforts by the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) led by the governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni, to block the national convention of the party from holding.

The book also delves into the internal struggles to select the APC presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections and eventual emergence of Tinubu as the party’s candidate.

According to Lukman, the book further provides insights into the internal negotiations and dynamics within the APC concerning the 2023 presidential elections and the selection of leaders for the 10th National Assembly.

A statement signed by him read, “Had the privilege of meeting His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, APC National Chairman on Wednesday and discussed challenges facing our great party. This is our first meeting since his election on August 4, 2023. A major highlight of our discussion is the forthcoming publication, ‘APC and Transition Politics’ which is a compilation of contributions made to the debate to reform the APC to achieve its founding vision of becoming a progressive party in Nigeria.

“Given recent developments in the APC leading to  Ganduje’s emergence as the National Chairman of our great party, it became necessary to publish these contributions, which testify to the consistent support made towards the emergence of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, first as the Presidential candidate of APC and the victory of the APC during the 2023 Presidential elections. The publication, APC and Transition Politics is being edited, which should be concluded before the end of September.”

Lukman further said: “His Excellency Ganduje welcomes the initiative to produce APC and Transition Politics and endorse it. Being a party envisioned to be progressive, product knowledge is an important requirement. To achieve that Dr. Ganduje reminded me about the commitment of APC to establish a progressive institute. He affirmed the commitment of the party under his leadership to establish one.”