The Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria has urged the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, to revise the party constitution to include their members in preparation for the upcoming National Executive Committee meeting.
During a visit to the party’s national headquarters on Monday, a delegation of 60 former deputy governors advocated for their inclusion in critical party decisions.
The delegation expressed concern over their absence from the list of dignitaries present at the previous NEC meeting held at Transcorp Hilton two weeks prior.
Chris Alozie Akomas, Chairman of the forum, said their years of service have equipped them with valuable expertise and experience, making their input indispensable to effective governance.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the former deputy governor in Imo state further stressed that their expertise and experience after years of service cannot be wished away.
He said, “Our own interest should be protected. If there is a political party to which you have made contributions you should be carried along when the body takes critical decisions. We still repeat that we take it (former deputy governors’ exclusion) as an omission. You captured Speakers and Deputy Speakers but leave out people that served and represented the whole state; people who carry structures of a state.
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“It is not good neither for the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria nor for the political party or effective governance. This is because the effectiveness of governance has to do with bringing in cross-fertilisation of ideas. As we said, within the forum of deputy governors, there are expertise, experience, knowledge, and professionalism. That has to be done across boards.
“This issue we raised has nothing to do with National Assembly. I am talking about APC Constitution. It is an omission and we are following it up. We don’t want to give it different meanings. Because it’s not only in the APC that we have this. But it seems to be more pronounced in the ruling party and we want it corrected. It is a simple thing. There are other issues though. But as you join us for our national summit in October, you will hear more because we are doing this in collaboration with relevant authorities. We have contacted the governors’ forum and also doing our best to collaborate with the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.”
Ganduje reacts, tasks governors, deputies on cordial relationship
Reacting to their concern, Ganduje promised to look into the issue, saying he understands their plight having served as a deputy governor.
He tasked state governors and their deputies to maintain cordial relationship toward strengthening democracy in Nigeria.
He said that being a deputy governor in Nigeria was most difficult because of sycophants who tried to create confusion and a rift between governors and their deputies.
He said that although deputy governors maybe regarded as spare tyres, they were always needed in times of trouble in states.
“If you don’t need the spare tyre when you are normal, you will need it when you are in trouble.
“There is no doubt the position of the Deputy Governor is the most controversial position in governance, not only in Nigeria, but all over the world,” he said.
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This, he said, informed his writing of a book:” Deputising and Governance in Nigeria”.
Ganduje said that the APC under his leadership would look at the possibility of organising a national conference to discuss ways of smoothening relationship between governors and their deputies.
“That is why I decided to write a book,even up till now that problem is still on, in fact, if it persist, we are trying to organise a national conference on the relationship between Governors and their Deputies,” he said.
He said that the book does not only dwell on governors and their deputies, but also on the President and Vice-President, considering what happened between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
He added that he focused on deputising because in every political office and even in other offices, there was always a deputy.
Ganduje, a former Deputy Governor of Kano State before becoming a governor for two-terms thanked the forum for the visit and assured that the APC would attain greater heights under his leadership.