…Invites Ghana’s ruling party to monitor Nigeria election

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has visited Ghana’s ruling party, New Patriotic Party (NPP) to institutionalise its relationship.

Explaining why APC wants to consolidate relationship with its Ghana’s counterpart, the ruling party boss highlighted the need for parties in Africa to understudy themselves to bolster internal democracy and improve the lot of the impoverished Africans, yearning for good governance.

In a statement signed by Edwin Olofu, his Chief Press Secretary, the APC National Chairman advocated for parties in Africa to monitor elections in sister countries whenever an election is going to take place in such countries.

Ganduje gave the suggestion during an interactive session with his host, and Ghanaian counterpart Mr Stephen Ayesu Ntim.

The former Kano state governor explained that the visit to Accra is in reciprocation of the visit of the leader of the NPP to Nigeria late 2023.

According to Ganduje; “We can learn from each other to improve our democracy, just like we used to have foreign observers monitoring our elections we can develop a template among ourselves so that political parties can equally visit other African countries to see how elections are conducted. I think this will help us in nurturing our democracy.

“Today history is being made and repeated, the relationship between the two countries is that of a brotherhood. We want to institutionalise the relationship between the two ruling parties. I want to thank our forefathers for their struggle for independence that has today given birth to our democracy.

“I also want to use this opportunity to call on all parties across Africa especially the ruling parties to entrench internal democracy. Because as a ruling party, our first problem is lack of internal democracy due to contending interest in the ruling party.”

Responding, his host, Ntim said that both countries shared similar historical experiences and as such the need for the two powerful West African countries to work together.

He thanked his Nigerian counterpart and his entourage for the reciprocal visit, urging both parties to sustain the momentum.

Also, during the parley at the National headquarters of the NPP the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, spoke on the need to end conflicts and insecurity in some parts of Africa, especially in Nigeria.

The Majority Leader of the Parliament Afenyo Markins equally harped on the need to sustain African values and traditions.

Ganduje was accompanied to Accra by the Deputy National Chairman South, Emma Eneukwu, Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, National Legal Adviser, Prof Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, Chief of Staff, Malam Muhammad Garba, Senior Special Assistant Visual Communications, Aminu Dahiru and Senior Special Assistant Women Mobilisation, Ngozi Ononiwu.