THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed him to maintain close collaboration with his predecessor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in the interest of party cohesion and stability.
News Point Nigeria reports that Yilwatda made the disclosure on Wednesday when Ganduje paid him a condolence visit over the passing of his mother.
He emphasized that despite succeeding Ganduje, the former chairman’s guidance and political experience would be invaluable to the success of his tenure.
“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked me to work with you, to reach out to you as well about partnership. I told him I would regard you still as chairman in partnership with me. You are still the co-chairman of the party,” Yilwatda said.
Ganduje, who served as APC National Chairman after his tenure as Governor of Kano State, resigned on June 27 under controversial circumstances.
In his resignation letter to APC National Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, he cited ill-health as his reason for stepping down.
His exit paved the way for the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) to appoint Yilwatda as substantive chairman on July 24.
During the visit, Yilwatda downplayed his position as absolute head of the ruling party, describing himself as a “coordinator” tasked with unifying members.
He recounted his early political memories, contrasting Ganduje’s decades-long experience with his own relatively recent entry into politics.
“The party belongs to all of us. We are all collective leaders of the party. Moreover, by experience and by virtue of politics, you have been there long before me. Since the time of the NPN, you have been part of the political scene.
At that time, I was only in primary school. I recall seeing Governor Rimi visit Solomon Lar in Jos in the late 70s and early 80s. I was just in Form 2, waving with my classmates, not knowing what politics truly meant, while you had already mastered the ropes,” he told Ganduje.
He added that he would rely heavily on Ganduje’s “experience, contacts, and connections” to solidify the APC’s position nationwide and secure future electoral victories.
In his remarks, Ganduje expressed satisfaction with the cordial relationship between himself and his successor, noting that conflict between predecessors and successors has long plagued Nigerian politics.
“One important thing is that the problem between successor and his predecessor is one of the issues that APC has solved.
Since 1999, the problem between former governors and their successors has always been an issue in many states of the federation. Not only in governorship, but in other positions too.
“So our relationship is the beginning of solving that kind of problem, not only in APC but in the whole atmosphere of democracy,” Ganduje stated.
He congratulated Yilwatda on his appointment and pledged his support towards building a stronger APC.