From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Highly jubilant governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Thursday led a high-powered delegation to the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja to witness the issuance of certificate of return to the State Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Abbas, after emerging victorious at the Appeal Court.
Those in the delegation of the Governor include the Senator Kabir Gaya, Hon Ado Doguwa, several National Assembly members from the State, representatives of the 44 Local Government chairmen, State Assembly members and elected Councilors from Kano state.
While confirming that his State chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, has been issued certificate of return, Governor Ganduje pleaded with the Ibrahim Shakarau-led faction to embrace peace and return to the family fold.
“First of all we have to thank God for this very important victory at the moment. As he rightly said, we APC of Kano state have got a judgement that all the elections we conducted from the wards to the state level are legally recognized.
“I want to thank the party and the leadership for initiating the peace move to ensure that our party is united. I have to thank the party for that. A judgement has been passed in our favour and APC stakeholders in Kano are here to show our appreciation to the leadership of the party.
“We have the House leader, Senator, other representatives and representatives of the 44 Local Government chairmen, State Assembly members, elected councilors from Kano state and to you the members of the press for covering all the court proceedings,” he said.
On what he intends to do with the faction, he said: “I am appealing to them because we are members of one family, the APC. So, I am appealing to them to come back and Kano state is almost 100 per cent APC, we will come together and forge ahead in such a manner.”
Equally speaking after meeting with the party’s leadership, Hon Ado Doguwa, said: “For the purposes of records, the leader of the party, Governor Ganduje has spoken and it is only for the purposes of representation that I am standing for the House of Representatives members. I joined the governor to thank the CECPC chairman, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni and all members of the party for standing by the party.
“Like the governor said, our other friends on the other side of the divide should join us to embrace unity under the able leadership of the governor. We will give them every room for reconciliation. I feel we are better united than divided. Under the leadership of the governor, we continue to be the party to beat in the nation.
“APC is the party to beat and Kano is the heart of the APC. With commitment, we will join hands together to deliver Kano state for APC in the forthcoming 2023 general election and beyond.
“Again, I thank the CECPC leadership, President Muhammadu Buhari who is the leader of the party and the governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje,” he said.
Similarly Senator Kabir Gaya said: “I want to thank the leadership of the party, the governor and the state chairman. After the success at the court, we thanked God and thereafter deemed it fit to visit the party secretariat and collect the certificate of returns for our duly elected state chairman.
“We appeal to everyone to join hands under the able leadership of our governor who is equal to the task. Thank you governor for doing your best, he is a good politician and he going through the hurdles to get us the victory,” he said
On his part, the State party Chairman, Abbas, said: “I want to thank the leader for his support, and the good people of Kano state. Also call on all a members and let us move the party to the next level.”