ABUJA, Nigeria — The All Progressives Congress, APC, has set its sights on winning the governorship of Anambra State and expanding its presence in the South East geopolitical zone, according to the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
While speaking in Abuja on Monday, September 23, 2024, Ganduje outlined the APC’s strategic plans to build on recent electoral victories and gain control of additional states in the region.
Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State, made the announcement while reflecting on the APC’s success in last Saturday’s Edo State governorship election, where Senator Monday Okpebholo was declared the winner.
The APC, Ganduje said, will apply the same strategy in the upcoming November 16 election in Ondo State and future elections in the South East, starting with Anambra in 2024.
“We have started working to develop strategies to win these states. Next year, Anambra State will follow,” Ganduje declared. “We already have two [states], but two is too small for a big party like ours.”
Anambra, currently governed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has long been a stronghold of regional politics, but the APC is looking to increase its foothold in the South East, where it currently controls two of the five states.
Ganduje spoke during a celebration with members of the Edo State election situation room, where he stressed that the APC’s goal is to politically “demarginalise” the Southeast zone.
“That project is also a task that must be done,” he added, urging party leaders to work harder in their efforts to solidify APC’s presence in the region.
The chairman’s remarks come as the APC gains momentum in key areas of the country, following a successful court ruling that upheld Ganduje’s position as party chairman.
The suit, filed by the North Central APC Forum, sought to remove Ganduje, claiming his appointment violated the party’s constitution and the consensus reached at the 2022 National Convention.
A delegation of APC elders from the North Central, led by former Senate President Ameh Ebute, visited the party’s national secretariat on Monday to congratulate Ganduje on his legal victory.
Speaking during the visit, Ebute expressed optimism about the party’s future, particularly in the 2027 general elections.
“We have no doubt in your ability to lead this party to a higher level,” he said, adding that the 2027 election would be “a walkover” for the APC.
Ganduje, for his part, dismissed the legal challenge as “baseless” and reiterated his confidence in the party’s direction.
He credited the APC’s victory in Edo State to the hard work of party members and the effective strategies employed.
“Fighting an incumbent government is not easy,” Ganduje said, referring to the challenge of unseating the ruling party in the state.
As the APC prepares for future elections, including its push to capture Anambra, the party appears focused on consolidating its power and expanding its influence across Nigeria, particularly in regions where it has traditionally faced resistance.
