2027: We won’t allow opposition parties dominate FCT, Ganduje vows

…as AMAC chair, councilors, defect to APC  

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has stated that his party is poised to displace the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Ganduje made the declaration on Thursday while speaking at the “Abuja Unity Rally,” where he welcomed members of the LP and PDP into the APC.

Among the former chieftains of the opposition parties who joined the APC were the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, along with his councillors and thousands of supporters from the PDP and LP across all six area councils. Ganduje noted that the FCT was too strategic to remain under the control of opposition parties and further claimed that over 60 per cent of FCT residents are card-carrying members of the ruling party.

He said, “With this new political realignment, the APC is on track to produce the FCT’s only Senator, its two House of Representatives members, and all area council chairmen.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, as part of the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’ today we have started seeing that FCT will be converted to APC. Today we have a great political giant, we have the chairman of AMAC, which is the most popular local government in the Federal Capital Territory.

“The chairman, with all his elected councillors, with all his appointed councillors, with all the politicians from PDP, they have decided to come to our great party, the APC. He has come with his thousands of supporters.

“Also, we have decampees from Bwari Area Council. We have decampees from Kuje Area Council. We have decampees from Abaji Area Council. We have decampees from Kwali Area Council. We have decampees from Gwagwala Area Councils. What remains now? Almost all the politicians, all the people, and indeed more than 60 per cent of the Federal Capital Territory are now APC.”

In his remarks, the Minister of Special Duties, Honourable Zaphania Jisalo, told the gathering that his principal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has fulfilled his promises to Nigerians. The Minister of State for FCT, Hajia Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, urged party faithful in the FCT to continue associating with the ruling party.

Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, speaking on behalf of the former APC Governors, said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will overwhelmingly be re-elected to continue with the good work he is doing for the country.”

While calling for unity within the FCT chapter, the former governor expressed optimism that the ruling party would soon take over all the area councils in the FCT.

“All the Area Councils will be APC; it is just a little time that we will take them. Let me commend our National Chairman. Let me commend the State Chairman of FCT, Alhaji Usman, for all the wonderful job he’s been doing.

“When I came into this arena, I was shocked to see the mammoth crowd that turned out within this shortest possible time.

“Let me tell you that this mandate that Mr President is carrying is the mandate of the people, and the people of this country have spoken. I want to assure you that come 2027, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock. I will use this opportunity once again to appreciate all founding fathers of our party. Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, played a significant and very pivotal role in ensuring that we have a party we are all trooping to join today.

“Our former president, as the first president under the platform of the APC, former President Muhammadu Buhari, has said it time without number that he remains a father in APC and he is a member of APC.

“Let nobody mistake it that Mr President and former President have any issue. In fact, they continue to confer in moving this country forward. So we have APC intact. I call on all other members of the party who have one issue or the other: you can’t build a house and run away from it. I urge everybody, let’s come together and unite. Other political parties are just going to escort us to the villa come 2027.

“Come back. When you are inside APC and you are making your demands, you are talking. But if you leave APC and you are outside APC and you are making demands, you are simply making noise, and those of us that are inside APC will tell you to keep quiet. Therefore, APC is the owner of Nigeria today and tomorrow.”

The host, Honourable Abdulmalik Usman, who is Chairman of the APC FCT chapter, assured that under his leadership, the party would take over the nation’s capital ahead of the 2027 general election.

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