Ganduje, while delivering his speech at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday, explained that the liability amount; “ranged from legal engagements during the pre-election matters, election cases and appeals for legislative, governorship and presidential elections.”
The former Kano State governor however made a passionate appeal to the presidency to give allocation for the building of a new national secretariat for the ruling party.
He said: “As part of the commitment to secure and own a national secretariat complex befitting of a ruling party and one that would conveniently accommodate our national officers, the newly established the Progressive Institute as well as the three wings of the party, we have formally applied for a land at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) that will drive this project. May I therefore appeal for the kind intervention of Mr President for this project to materialise,” Ganduje pleaded.
On membership drive he catalogued heavyweight politicians from the opposition parties to the ruling party, noting: “Another promise we are fulfilling is the improvement of membership base of the party. Today, we have in our fold the former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim who led prominent politicians from other political parties to join us, notably among them are: Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi state, Edwin Nkwegu, Senator Obinna Ogba, Senator Uche Ekwunife from Anambra state, and thousands of their supporters.
“Also, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed for the formal engagement of Tunmef Global Limited for this exercise. The event was witnessed by some members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum led by the Chairman, Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo state and some members of the APC Chairmen Forum led by their leader, Cornelius Oyefola Ojelabi, at the party secretariat,” he noted.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas took part in the meeting.
The notable incumbent governors in attendants include Edo, Monday Okpebholo, Ondo, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Benue State, Hyacinth Iormem Alia, Ekiti, Biodun Oyebanji, Kaduna, Musa Sani, Nasarawa State, Abdulahi Sule, Yobe, Mai Mala Buni, Kogi, Usman Ododo, Ogun Dapo Abiodun, Niger Mohammed Umar Bago, Jigawa, among others.
The list of the former governors present include Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, his Kebbi counterpart and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Kogi, Yahaya Bello, Zamfara, Bello Mattawalle, among others.
Also present during the meeting include Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu
Former deputy president, Ovie Omo-Agege, and other principal officers of the National Assembly, Ministers, among others.
On the flipside, notable founding members and former political officeholders of the party like former president Muhammadu Buhari, his vice, Yemi Osinbajo and others apparently angry with the party were conspicuously absent at the party’s NEC held at the national secretariat of the party on Wednesday in Abuja.
Other heavyweight party members notably absent during the meeting included former governors like Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers, Mallam Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna, Kayode Fayemi, former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, former Speaker and current Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, among many others.
The curiosity over their absence was because as statutory members of the party’s NEC they were expected to be in attendance. Sun