The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Saturday Inaugurated the recently constituted members of the Party’s National Governorship Campaign Council.
The former Kano State Governor, while inaugurating the campaign organization, described the Kogi state governorship candidate, Usman Ahmed Ododo, as the most qualified person to carry on the legacy projects of the current administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.
Ganduje further urged the people of the state and party faithful to rally around the APC candidate towards the victory of the party.
“We want to also thank His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, and our Party members for electing Hon. Usman Ododo as the flag bearer of our Party. We believe that he has the capacity and ability to sustain, and build upon the legacies of Governor Yahaya Bello as well as initiate new programs and policies that will add value to the lives of the people of Kogi State.”
“We are indeed happy with the numerous and modest achievements you have recorded and I am certain that your successor, a young man like you, will build on what you have done as well as initiate other programs and policies that would add value to the lives of Kogi people as a Party.
“I would like to therefore call on all our Party Members and Stakeholders to rally around our candidate so that our Party will succeed. By so doing, all the legacy projects would be sustained and there will be continuation in governance. As a Party, we are committed to working hard individually and collectively to realize these goals and objectives.”
The APC National Chairman posited that the party is poised to carry along members of the party at the grassroots in all the party affairs.
“We have initiated a new standard and benchmarks in the nation’s democratic sphere by facilitating an all-inclusive, grassroots-driven engagements in electioneering campaigns and citizens’ inclusion in governance and decision-making process. In fact, that is the main reason we are for the first time inaugurating the campaign council at the grassroots rather than the usual practice of doing it at Abuja.
“It is pertinent to also note that we have initiated and concluded plans to structure our Party into a truly grassroots progressive Party by opening full-fledged and functional offices in all 8,813 wards in Nigeria.
“This is to enable our members across the country to have both a symbolic representation of our Party in their neighborhood and, a place for active interaction between and among members on one hand, and members and leadership at different tiers of government on the other hand.
“In addition, our vision is to institutionalize the progressive ideology in the body politic of our country. We indeed believe that progressivism as a political ideology can be deployed to improve the lives of millions of our compatriots and improve our society through appropriate political action and social reform based on advancement in Science, Technology, Economic Development, and Social Organisation. To crystalize this vision, we are at the concluding stage of establishing a National Institute of Progressive Study.”
The Institute, according to him, will facilitate the channeling and integrating of the nation’s progressive-minded politicians into the substance, orientation, and practice of progressive ideology and political best practices.
“This will certainly amplify our difference from other political parties that are only interested in capturing power.
“We will ensure that with the kind of graduates our National Institute will be producing from time to time, the Nigerian political space will be populated by truly progressive-minded politicians.
“On this note, in the name of Allah, the Almighty, l have the pleasure and privilege, on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC), to formally inaugurate the Kogi State National Gubernatorial Campaign Council. I strongly believe in the capacity and ability of the Chairman and Co-Chairmen as well as the committee members to deliver and ensure the victory of our Party.
“It is also my belief that the innovations the Campaign Council will initiate during the campaign period will convince the electorate that the APC remains the only option for development, the only alternative for good governance, and the only political vehicle to convey the people of Kogi State, and indeed, Nigeria, to the place of our collective aspiration of prosperity and development.”
He therefore appealed to Nigerians to remain patient and continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his effort and determination to address the economic challenges facing the country. “In no distance time, by the special grace of God, such policies and programs would eventually yield positive results,” he added.
Dignitaries at the event include the Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the APC National Gubernatorial Campaign Council in Kogi State, and his Lagos, Niger States counterpart.
