Tinubu, Shettima, Buhari, APC NEC To Deliberate On Ganduje’s Tenure, Edo, Ondo Elections

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) will on Wednesday deliberate on several key issues, including an account audit, the performance review of the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and a briefing on the recently concluded off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo states.

According to a document reviewed by The PUNCH, the meeting’s agenda includes discussions on the party’s 2025 budget proposal, preparations for the upcoming governorship election in Anambra, payment of dues by federal appointees and APC lawmakers, updates on the ongoing e-membership registration, and a presentation on the newly established Progressive Institute.

A source within the party secretariat downplayed expectations, saying, “It is just a tea party where nothing unusual will be discussed. That also goes for some media people who are probably thinking it may herald an official sign-off for the rumoured exit of the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje. It is not going to happen.

“It is just to fulfil all righteousness and ward off pressure from the like of El-Rufai trying to play politics with it. Ordinarily, as you rightly observed, the APC leadership ought to call for NEC meetings to be held at least once each quarter to review the power given to them.

“Unlike the last leadership where (Salihu) Lukman refused to give the former chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, a breathing space, this current NWC has little or nothing to fight over.”

This meeting marks the first major gathering of APC leaders and stakeholders since Ganduje assumed leadership of the National Working Committee.

Ganduje and the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, were officially ratified during the last NEC meeting held at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja on August 3, 2023.

The APC chairman had called for the long-anticipated National Caucus and NEC meetings, initially postponed last year, to take place next Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

A leaked memo signed by Basiru revealed that the National Caucus meeting is scheduled to be held at the Presidential Villa banquet hall on February 25, while the NEC meeting will take place the following day at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.

The high-level meetings, expected to be chaired by President Bola Tinubu, will also have in attendance Vice President Kashim Shettima and former President Muhammadu Buhari.