The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is intensifying efforts to get other political parties to merge with it before the next general elections in 2027, says the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
He disclosed this to journalists in his office when he hosted former Governors of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who also serves as Director-General of APC’s Presidential Campaign Council for this year’s election.
Ganduje spoke against the background of the visit to him by Minister-designate and former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other party chieftains from Rivers State on Tuesday night.
The APC chairman said the visit of Wike was the beginning of better things to happen to APC’s membership drive under his leadership.
However, when specifically if Wike had defected to the APC, Ganduje simply replied: “We did not discuss the issue of his coming to APC or not coming to APC, that issue will arise later.”
He stated though that “it will certainly improve the chances of this our party, especially in 2027 and not only that we are coming out with a new blueprint to increase the followership of the party and this we include all strata of officials; those who are in APC and those who are in other political parties.
“I assure you very soon some of the political parties will even merge with the APC. We are doing that underground.
“You know Wike is an honourable Minister-designate, so he came, we discussed because I was looking for him to congratulate him for that and also he came to congratulate me and we discussed that when he becomes Minister fully he will work very hard to move the Ministry he is given forward and he is ready to cooperate.”
Earlier, minister-designate and Director-General of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council,
Meanwhile, Lalong who is also now a Minister-designate, said during his visit that he came on a courtesy visit to the chairman, amd expressed optimism in Ganduje’s ability to bring greater glory to the APC.
“Ganduje was Governor, as the matter of fact when we look at his antecedents, we always say he is the longest experienced politician that we have within us. Because he was very long in civil service, he became permanent secretary, commissioner, longest-serving Deputy Governor and became Governor.
“With this kind of experience, what else do you need in party matters? So we have confidence in him as he is now here and it is not an issue of one man show. Anytime he has the opportunity he does a lot of consultation and we are always available.
“His colleagues who were Governors with him are always available for this kind of work. That is why we are rallying around to give him every help so that the party can also succeed”, Lalong said.
