..as SGF calls for closer ties between states in North Central
…Senator Al-makura seeks payment of compensation to Nasarawa over FCT
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as well as the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume were in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital to received Senator Solomon Ewuga and others, into the APC.
Ganduje, Akume received Senator Ewuga at an elaborate reception organized to welcome the former deputy governor and minister, amongst others at the City Hall on Saturday.
In his speech, the APC national chairman said the party is making history in Nasarawa State by receiving into its fold formidable politicians from across different political parties such as APGA, PDP, SDP and other smaller parties.
He noted that, the APC under his watch, is determined to deepen and widen democracy in Nigeria, based on the orders of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
Ganduje revealed that the APC has a blueprint to ensure that the party has more governors and more members of the national assembly.
“We are deepening democracy in Nigeria in terms of knowledge, in terms of politics, in terms of internal democracy, in terms of philosophy, in terms of ideology, and in terms of tolerance. We are widening the scope of our party, and we are widening the scope of our government,” he stated.
He added that the APC is poised to welcome members of other political parties into its fold.
“I’m so happy today here in Nasarawa State to have achieved our initial objective in order to get people from different political parties to embrace our own party, to come into our party. And that is not a small achievement.
“We are also happy APC is the greatest party in Africa. APC is the most populated party in Africa. APC is the party with different kinds of people, different nationalities, different religious beliefs, different antecedents and different social strata. It’s because of this that we are making history in Nasarawa today,” Ganduje said.
Recalling his relationship with Senator Ewuga since their time together as deputy governors, Ganduje expressed optimism that with his experience the former minister of state for the FCT will improve the membership of the APC in Nasarawa State.
This is just as Senator George Akume called for a closer ties between states in the North Central geopolitical zone.
According to the SGF, the North Central has a lot of opportunities waiting to be tapped.
“When we join hands together, the sky is the limit. We can have joint ventures amongst the states of the North Central. Instead of each state planning to have a cargo airport, one that exists here could be sufficient,” he stated.
Senator Akume said Nigeria is blessed with both human and material resources, as well as a talented leader in the person of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a gifted strategist who has knack to identify talents and use such talents, one of them being the national chairman of the APC.
He commended successive governments for developing Nasarawa State, particularly Lafia, the state capital, which he said could compete with some older state capitals in the North Central.
While welcoming Senator Ewuga back into the APC, Senator Akume said the former deputy governor will write his name in gold if he joins hands together with Governor Abdullahi Sule to help build Nasarawa State and indeed the North Central.
Speaking at the event, Governor Abdullahi Sule assured the APC national chairman that with people like Ewuga coming back to join the party, APC will not have problems in not only Nasarawa State but the entire North Central zone.
Governor Sule, who doubles as the Chairman, North Central Governors Forum of the APC, said his vision is to leave the APC better than when he led the party in Nasarawa State.
“We are lucky we have a chairman that truly, from the bottom of his heart, loves the party and loves Mr. President. When we sat down before the primaries, there were three governors, and they have all left now, among the governors from the North, who insisted that all of us must come and rally behind Tinubu. And believe it or not, Ganduje was one of these three governors that insisted we must come together and support Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” he said.
Governor Sule described Senator Akume as a strong ally of the APC national chairman who will stand by him to build a stronger, more virile party.
He emphasized that the coming of people like Ewuga into the party will further strengthen the APC.
On his part, immediate past governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura has appealed to the APC national chairman to use his office to assist Nasarawa State to get some of the compensations that were supposed to be paid to the people of the state following the creation of the FCT.
“I want to appeal to you to hold the hand of your brother, Engineer A. A Sule to ensure that the balance of our compensation since the creation of the FCT is paid to Nasarawa State. I am saying this because A. A Sule is very prudent and focused. The more money we get, the more value that would be adding to Nasarawa State,” Al-makura said.
In a vote of thanks, Senator Solomon Ewuga described himself as an adventurous, audacious but considerate politician.
He showed appreciation to the APC the great consideration that saw his returning to the party he helped build.
“I am happy that great consideration went into bringing me back. God has brought us here today, and we are going back home enlightened, developed, and more interested. I can assure you we will do more for our own state and for Nigeria in whatever circumstance we find ourselves,” he stated.
Earlier, in a welcome address, State Chairman of the APC, Hon Aliyu Bello, assured all those who decamped to the party of level playing field, stressing that the party will accord them all the rights and privileges as members of the APC.
“A political party has no barrier. A political party has no door to close to anybody. But a political party will not tolerate coming in and going out. We must be committed once we said yes, it is yes.
“Political parties are not about religion. Political parties are not about ethnicity. Political party is about interest. If you are coming because of your interest, you are welcome. If you are coming because of your ethnicity, you are not welcomed. If you are coming because of your religion, you are not welcomed,” Hon Bello stated.
Those who were received into the party alongside Senator Ewuga include former governorship candidate of APGA, Chief Mathew Avre Ombugadu, former Senatorial candidate of APGA in Nasarawa North, Dr. Alfa Yusufu Tsenya, former SDP House of Representatives candidate, Aliyu Safiyanu also known as Mai Zuma, Zubairu Abdullahi Musa and Musa Salihu Iyimoga who represented Doma North Constituency in the 6th Assembly on the platform of the ZLP.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of brooms by the national chairman of the APC to the decampees.
