ByUmar Audu

August 15, 2024

President Bola Tinubu has tipped the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, for ambassadorial appointment in “any African country”, DAILY NIGERIAN can report.

Mr Ganduje was appointed as the national chairman of the ruling party on August 3, 2023, following the forced resignation of Abdullahi Adamu.

Credible sources who preferred anonymity confirmed that Mr Tinubu first delegated the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio to break the “bad news” to Mr Ganduje.

According to the sources, Mr Akpabio told the APC national chairman that the president’s ambassadorial offer was aimed at saving him from the ongoing corruption trial he is currently facing in Kano.

Mr Ganduje, whose 2018 bribe videos caused him public opprobrium and ridicule, is facing corruption charges alongside his wife, son and other accomplices to the tune of over N50 billion.

But inside sources said Mr Ganduje grumbled and tacitly rejected the president’s offer, explaining that the charges were “tissues of lies” and would win his cases in court.

“Is this the way the president will reward my loyalty? Besides, I am too old to go for ambassadorial posting. All the charges are tissues of lies, and I will win my case in court,” Mr Ganduje was quoted as replying to Mr Akpabio.

According to the sources, the president later personally informed Mr Ganduje of the diplomatic posting plan and offered him to choose “any country in Africa”.

But other sources said the president offered him three choices in Africa, Asia and Europe.

A source close to the APC chairman said the president’s preference was to post him as Nigerian ambassador to Chad, having served in Ndjamena as the executive secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission between 2009 and 2011.

“You know the president is looking for a way to pacify him. This is the reason why he allowed him to choose among the three countries, but the president’s preference is Chad.

“But the problem is that no serious Asian or European country would overlook Ganduje’s dollar video and corruption charges to accept him as ambassador.

“However, Ganduje is lobbying hard to retain his seat, going from pillar to post and complaining bitterly to Chief Bisi Akande about the president’s decision to ‘retire’ him from politics. But if the worse comes to worst, Ganduje will choose Morocco over Chad,” the inside source said.

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that a few days after Mr Tinubu communicated the decision to Mr Ganduje, a letter was sent to the APC chairman notifying him of the president’s approval to conduct the National Executive Committee, NEC meeting and mid-term non-elective national convention.

The letter, dated August 9 and signed by the president’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, informed Mr Ganduje of the president’s availability for the NEC meeting to be held at a date between September 8 and 19, 2024.

“I am directed by the President to inform you that he has granted approval for the scheduling and convening of a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party. The President has confirmed his availability for the NEC meeting between the dates of 8th September 2024 and 19th September, 2024.

“Furthermore, the President has directed that the agenda for the NEC meeting include, among other things, the consideration of a date for the non-elective National Convention to be held before the end of the year 2024.

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“Kindly liaise with the undersigned regarding any developments or necessary clarifications related to the scheduling of the meeting. Please ensure that any changes or updates are communicated promptly to facilitate smooth coordination,” Mr Gbajabiamila said in the letter.

Contacted for comment on the matter, Mr Ganduje’s spokesman, Edwin Olofu, said he was not briefed about the ambassadorial posting by his principal.

He, however, confirmed the president’s approval to hold the party’s NEC meeting and non-elective convention.

“I’m not aware of this, my boss hasn’t briefed me.

“But I’m aware that the party wrote to the Mr President requesting a date to hold the NEC meeting, and correspondence has been received from the Presidency that 12 September 2024 is approved for the NEC meeting, while the non-elective convention has equally been approved towards the end of the year,” Mr Olofu said.