President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, declared that the country was already on the path of economic recovery, citing crash in prices of foodstuff as a critical indicator.
Tinubu expressed his determination to work harder for the greater good of Nigeria.
The president spoke in Abuja at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the first in two years.
A highlight of the meeting was the passage of a vote of confidence in Tinubu by party members for his administration’s good performance.
Equally, at the NEC meeting, Tinubu directed the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to set up committees to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.
National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, who spoke on the state of the party, revealed that the NWC under his leadership inherited a debt of N8,987,874,663 when he assumed office.
National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, while addressing the recent attacks on the party and the Tinubu administration by former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, urged the ex-governor to respect his status.
That was as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, commended Tinubu for extending Ganduje’s tenure as APC national chairman.
Pledging to continue to work diligently, with other arms of government, to ensure the greater good of Nigerians, Tinubu commended APC governors and party executives for their continued commitment.
He stated, “I’m grateful to all Nigerians for the electoral successes recorded from one state to the other.
“Governors, you have embraced these changes, and I thank the leadership of our party. I also thank members of the National Assembly for expeditiously considering the budget.
“We can only build the party on a progressive platform to deliver good service to Nigerians.”
The president said the vote of confidence in him from the party’s highest decision-making organ was a call for more work, and promised not to fail the party and Nigerians.
He said, “I am happy with your vote of confidence, and I accept it. The vote is a challenge to do more work. We will vigorously pursue our sovereignty in food security, investment and development.
“I am happy with food prices coming down, especially as Ramadan approaches. The sun is high, and the sky is bright outside. While the rest of the world unravels, we see growth in Nigeria. We are seeing a gradual return to stability. We are seeing improvements. I thank you, governors.
“Everywhere in the world, especially in Europe, we have economic shocks and we are doing everything possible.”
Tinubu thanked Nigerians for their continued belief and trust in APC. He called for measures to end some of the crises in APC states.
He stressed, “The National Working Committee is doing a very good job. I am pleased with them. However, there are a few conflicts in the various states.
“Let’s set up committees to look into the lingering problems in the states and appeal to these party leaders in various states to, please, be calm and be collaborative.
“In all the various states let us set up reconciliatory committees to liaise with these aggrieved leaders. I am appealing to them, please, be calm.
“I am grateful to all Nigerians for the electoral successes that we have from one state to another and I am also happy for the various people joining us in the National Assembly.”
The president challenged the NEC to find a way to celebrate the progressive ideals of his administration, while assuring the governors and Nigerians that he would sustain the progressive change.
Earlier, in his address, Ganduje thanked members for their steadfastness in the face of challenges and assured them that the party would continue to deliver on its electoral promises.
“Though the journey has been very challenging for us as a ruling party, given the big task we have at hand and the expectations from Nigerians, we can sufficiently submit that we have collectively risen to the occasion and challenges,” he said.
Ganduje said the ruling party had embarked on massive reconciliation of aggrieved party members. He said the move was gradually yielding desired positive results for the party.
According to him, “Through dialogue, we have initiated high level discussions among party leaders and other stakeholders with a view to resolving lingering differences between our members.
“The conflict reconciliation committee, which you are about to approve, will build on this.”
Ganduje stressed that another promise NWC was fulfilling was the improvement of the membership base of the party.
He said, “Today, we have in our fold the former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, who led prominent politicians from other political parties to join us. Notable among them are former Labour Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Edwin Nkwegu, Senator Obinna Ogba, Senator Uche Ekwunife from Anambra State, and thousands of their supporters.”
Ganduje, however, disclosed that NWC, which he led, inherited a debt of N8,987,874,663 when he came into office.
He added that the inherited debts were expenses incurred during pre-election legal battles, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections.
“The current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663, arising from various legal engagements,” he said.
He stated that the National Legal Adviser, Professor Abdul Kana (SAN), had been working to reduce the debt burden through dialogue and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Ganduje appealed for the intervention of NEC. “We still passionately appeal to the National Executive Committee to intervene accordingly,” he said.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting Tinubu in lifting the country from its economic and development woes.
“The senate will expeditiously pass bills that would enhance our national development, improve the economy and redirect our national pathway,” he said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, commended the president for his vision and courage in making unpopular but essential decisions, saying the decisions are pivotal for Nigeria’s development efforts.
Senator Hope Uzodimma of Imo State moved the motion that a vote of confidence be passed in Tinubu, and it was seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole
The motion for indefinite adjournment was moved by a member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Ndubeze, at 2:26pm. It was seconded by Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi.
Some of the NEC members in attendance were the governors of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo; Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Benue State, Hyacinth Alia; Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji; Kaduna State, Musa Sani; Nasarawa State, Abdulahi Sule; YobeState, Mai Mala Buni; Kogi State, Usman Ododo; Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun; Niger State, Mohammed Bago; and Jigawa State, Umar Namadi.
Former governors in attendance included Senator Abdulaziz Yari; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Yahaya Bello; and Bello Matawalle.
Equally at the meeting were Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu; former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; and other principal officers of the National Assembly, ministers, and others.
But former President Muhammadu Buhari, his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, ChibuikeAmaechi, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and others, were absent. As statutory members of the party’s NEC, they were expected to attend the meeting. Their absence might not be unconnected with the cracks within the ruling party.
El-Rufai had been up in arms against the leadership of the party, especially criticising their refusal to hold NEC meeting for 18 months.
The former governor had also launched attacks on the policies of the Tinubuadministration.
Addressing journalists at the end of the NEC meeting, Morka, said NEC had ratified the zoning of the party’s chairmanship position to the North-west
He added that a seven-member committee to be chaired by Buni was assigned the task of bringing more members into the party’s NEC.
Morka urged El-Rufai to respect his status as a former minister and former governor.
He said contrary to El-Rufai’s claims, all organs of the party were functional.
Morka stated, “All organs of the party are working. What the former governor of Kaduna State said, there is a difference between party men and people who speak because they have a grievance.
“Grievance-driven commentaries are not to be taken seriously. It was clear from all the comments that the former governor has a an axe to grind.
“But for today’s meeting, I was prepared to respond to the former governor and to suggest to him that some of his recent engagements are unnecessary for someone, who occupies the position that he has occupied in this country.
“Men who are respected must also continue to justify the respect they get. It is not a good idea that once you are dissatisfied, especially when it comes to personal experiences, then you want to visit your personal grievances on the system of a political party.
“El-Rufai is just one person. Yes, he is a former minister and former governor, he has been up there but at the end of the day he is just one person in the party scheme.
“He is a highly respected citizen but my advice and counsel to him is that he needs to speak in a manner that is befitting of his status. Otherwise, if he continues to engage, people have a right to reply.”
On the absence of some leaders, he said, “As far as I know, I have never known a caucus meeting of our party or NEC meeting of our party attended a hundred per cent by all members of NEC or caucus, and I am not sure that there is really any political party where you have 100 per cent attendance for such meetings.”
Morka said the party held its NEC at the convenience of the president whose itinerary was crowded.
He stated, “Rest assured that every member of Caucus and NEC was invited. The list of members today was comprehensive. As a matter of fact, we enlarged the list for the meeting today. We had more members invited than we did previously.”
Meanwhile, Ata commended Tinubu for extending Ganduje’s tenure as APC national chairman.
In a statement in Kano by the minister’s aide, Seyi Olorunsola, Ata said the extension of Ganduje’s leadership reflected the party’s unwavering confidence in the national chairman of the ruling party.
The minister stated, “This decision, ratified during the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held on February 25, 2025, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reflects the party’s unwavering confidence in Dr. Ganduje’s leadership.
“Since assuming the role of National Chairman on August 3, 2023, Ganduje had demonstrated exceptional leadership, steering the APC to remarkable successes in various elections.”
Ata maintained that under Ganduje’s guidance, the party achieved significant victories in off-cycle governorship elections, notably in Edo, Ondo, Kogi, and Imo states.
