By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Despite his failure to manage the multiple crises rocking Nigeria’s governing party, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has been rewarded with another prominent appointment.
In what appears to be a reward for failure, President Bola Tinubu has appointed Ganduje, a former governor of the Northwestern Kano State facing a corruption probe in his state, as Board Chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), according to a release from the presidency on Friday.
As of the last count, the APC is grappling with lingering crises in at least eight states, including Abia, the home state of Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu; Benue, the home state of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume; Adamawa, Delta, Osun, Rivers, Zamfara, and Bayelsa.
The party’s chieftains have cited the incompetence of Ganduje and his inability to provide firm leadership as primary reasons for the party’s ongoing challenges in these states.
“The APC under the leadership of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje is a party that does not shy away from responsibilities. It’s a party that confronts problems head-on and looks for lasting solutions to those problems. These are problems that are being created and overblown by the opposition, thinking that they will succeed in derailing the mission and ambition of the party,” a party spokesman said, while admitting the party is facing crises.
Despite the party’s troubles, Ganduje made the list of appointees to chair strategic government agencies.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed board chairpersons for 42 federal organisations and a secretary to the board of the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Prisons Services,” the statement read.
“The President has also appointed a new managing director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a director-general for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI),” Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, announced in a statement on Friday.
While Ganduje will serve as the Board Chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, APC National Secretary Senator Bashiru Ajibola has been appointed as the board chairman of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC).
Additionally, Tinubu appointed former deputy governor of Kebbi State, Sulaiman Argungu, as Chairman of the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company. The President’s long-time ally and former Senator for Rivers South-East, Magnus Abe, was appointed as Chairman of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
According to the presidential spokesman, Tinubu directed the “board chairpersons not to interfere with the management of the organisations, emphasising that their positions are non-executive.”
