Ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has been elected the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He succeeds Abdullahi Adamu, who resigned under controversial circumstances last month.

Ganduje was elected at the 12th National Executive Committee (NEC) Caucus meeting of the ruling party in Abuja.

A former Senate Spokesperson, Ajibola Bashiru has also been confirmed as the party’s national secretary.

Aside from Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, several governors and chieftains of the party were present at the NEC meeting.

Before the emergence of Ganduje, top shots of the party had rejoiced over the news that he would be selected.

An aide of the former governor had said Ganduje’s selection would strengthen the party in the state and by extension the northwest and the country as a whole.

Speaking to our correspondent in Kano, a chieftain of the APC, who is also a serving chairman of one of the local government areas in the state, said they were told that Ganduje would be given the opportunity to fill in the newly vacant position of the ruling party’s chairmanship.

“For us, this is even better news because as the party chairman, Baba (Ganduje) will be directly involved with not just the party but also maintain his cordial relationship with the president,” he said.

When asked, however, if he knew what was responsible for the decision, he said what they knew for certain was that was “not a victory for the opposition that had been carrying out a campaign of calumny but a strategic and political calculation by the president.”

Daily Trust