•Abdullahi Abbas
Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas Sanusi is chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kano State. In this interview, he talks about the resignation of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the NNPP and proposed movement to the APC, reports Weekend Trust.
Excerpts:
Governor Yusuf has resigned from the NNPP and he is said to be moving to the APC, what is your view?
He is welcome to ouGovernorr party, because politically no right thinking politician will reject a political addition and as you know, politics is a game of numbers. Therefore defection to your party means addition to your number and by extension an increase to our success during the polls.
We have made our point clear on several occasions that we will welcome anyone that has seen the beauty of our party and wants to join us.
Automatic ticket seems to be an issue. What is the party’s stand on that?
That is not an issue for now, it is an issue of when all processes are completed and whoever is coming has finalized his or her defection processes.
In respect to Governor Yusuf, as you know he is not coming alone. There are elected local government chairmen, councilors and other political office holders that will defect to our party with him.
Therefore, it is an issue of when all has been finalized, then we will sit down and map out a strategy that all will benefit from. The issue goes beyond contesting; it is an issue of how APC as a political party emerges victorious in the 2027 general elections.
In a nutshell, it is an issue of sitting to discuss and agree and there is nothing impossible here.
We await his coming and believe me we will work out a modality that will ensure the success of the party in a unanimous manner without any form of crisis between old members and the new members.
Moreover, in my personal view, I believe in Nigerian political contests, it is very hard for an incumbent governor to fail the primaries. Such instances where incumbent governors fail in primaries rarely happen.
However, if the circumstances warrant that a primary should hold, so be it. But the issue of automatic ticket for the governor is not our major concern for now, we will perfect everything when he comes.
There have been speculations that the governor will join the APC since December; what caused the delay?
You see all the stories that the governor was coming on this date or on that day were mere rumours. The governor didn’t openly declare that he was coming to APC on a particular date. All that were media assumptions and social media calculations; there was never an official declaration on that from the governor.
Remember, a governor’s defection is not something that one can just wake-up one day and say, I have decamped. There are processes involved and until those processes are duly followed and completed, the defection continues to remain a plan yet to be executed.
Personally, I can’t say for now; but I am sure it had to do with high level consultations. The governor wouldn’t want to leave anyone behind and I believe he made necessary consultations. However, this is my personal view on the real reason behind the delay, I am not in a position to know.
What is your advice to APC members to others that will soon join your party?
To our APC members and all other members joining us, let us understand that God gives and takes power. It is not by our might or manners; it is by God’s wish. Therefore let us all focus on the party’s success first. I will always continue to preach peaceful coexistence as members of the best political party in the country.
APC as a political party is committed to rectifying all things that are not going right, the party is not oblivious of the current challenges so it is committed to ensuring that Nigerians smile again.
