Hot SourceAdedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has said that President Bola Tinubu has directed him to work closely with the former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Yilwatda, who described himself as a coordinator of the APC for now, added that he would depend heavily on Ganduje’s experience and knowledge to run the party.
This was even as Ganduje said his relationship with Yilwatda is cordial.
While speaking on Wednesday in Abuja during a condolence visit paid him over the loss of his mother by Ganduje, Yilwatda declared that he would need experience, guidance and the learning curve of Ganduje.
His words: “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 a chairman in partnership with me. You are still the co-chairman of the party (APC).
“I am only a coordinator. My duty is simply to coordinate the membership of this party. But the party belongs to all of us. We are all collective leaders of the party.
“My doors are open, the office is open, the partnership remains open, and the friendship remains open. So never lock your door against me—and I know you will not—because we have worked together long before this time.
“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 that we used to see Governor Rimi come to Jos in the 70s and 80s to visit Solomon Lar. One day, he came to commission a project at my school. I was just in Form 2, waving at them along with my classmates — I never knew what politics truly meant. By then, people like you had already mastered the ropes of politics, while we didn’t even know the definition of politics.
“So I need your experience. I need your guidance. The learning curve still rests with you. I will depend heavily on your experience, your connections, and your contacts to ensure we solidify this party and build it together, so that we can win more elections.”
Earlier, the former Kano State governor said his relationship with the new national chairman should be a good example between a successor and predecessor.
According to him, “One important thing is that the problem between successor and his predecessor which is one of the issues that APC has solved. So in order to show examples, I am sure you know that since 1999, the problem between former governors and their successors has always been an issue up till now in many states of the federation.
“Not only in governorship , but in other positions, especially in politics. So our relationship is the beginning to solve that kind of problem. Not only in APC but in the whole atmosphere of democracy. I have to congratulate you for this new appointment.”
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