Immediate past National Chairman of All progressives Congress APC and Former Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has challenged the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria to play a more active role in resolving disputes between serving governors and their deputies in the interest of democratic stability and good governance.
Speaking when members of the Forum paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Abuja ahead of the organisation’s annual national conference, slated to hold on the 21st and 22nd October in Abuja, Ganduje pointed out that the Forum, comprising experienced former deputy governors, was well positioned to intervene whenever relationships between governors and their deputies deteriorate, irrespective of political party affiliations.
He noted that the experience and moral authority of former deputy governors would command respect from political actors and help prevent avoidable political crises capable of disrupting governance, describing the trend as a recurring challenge in Nigeria’s democracy.
The former Kano Governor described
the office of the deputy governor as one of the most challenging in Nigeria’s political system, but made it clear that it remains indispensable to effective governance and constitutional succession.
Dr Ganduje argued that deputy governors provide critical support to governors and ensure continuity in government whenever the need arises, and tasked the Forum to broaden its policy engagement by examining the growing conflicts between outgoing governors and their successors.
He said future conferences of the Forum should generate practical recommendations on strengthening relationships between political leaders and promoting peaceful democratic transitions.
While commending the Forum for sustaining its annual conferences and governance advocacy, Ganduje observed that the consistency of its activities reflected its seriousness and commitment to national development.
He therefore encouraged members to continue providing policy advice and governance solutions drawn from their experience in public service, noting that their contributions remain valuable to governments at all levels.
Earlier, Chairman of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria said the organisation was committed to fostering national unity, promoting good governance and supporting policies that advance sustainable development.
He said the Forum’s activities were driven by a shared vision of nation-building and strengthened through collaboration with government institutions, academia and development partners.
According to him, the Forum remains non-partisan in its interventions, with its primary allegiance to Nigeria and the collective goal of strengthening leadership, human capital development, agriculture, food security and infrastructure.
The Chairman said the theme of this year’s conference, “Rethinking Nation Building: Bridging the Leadership-Citizen Disconnect on Orientation, Attitude, Character, Culture and Tradition Towards Sustainable Development,” reflects the Forum’s determination to strengthen trust between leaders and citizens.
He urged Nigerians to embrace unity, mutual understanding and collective responsibility, expressing confidence that the country’s development challenges could be overcome through purposeful leadership and national cooperation.
