By Omeiza Ajayi & Treasure Ayegba

Abuja—The National Chairman of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has taken a swipe at the presidential candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Musa Kwankwaso, describing him as a professional contestant and serial loser in presidential elections, who would rather be a king in hell than a servant in paradise.

Ganduje made the remarks at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja, when he played host to Bauchi State NNPP governorship candidate in the 2023 election, Sen. Haliru Jika, who formally returned to the APC.

According to him, the pursuit of selfish interests against national interest will continue to hinder the realization of Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition.

Ganduje, who hailed and described the decision of Jika to return to the ruling party as a step in the right direction, noted that the former NNPP flag bearer in Bauchi State must have realized now that the ‘Kwankwasiyya-backed’ NNPP was “deceitful and exploitative”.

Receiving Jika with the entire NNPP structure in Bauchi State, Ganduje said: “When I got the news that you were coming to see me in my house to discuss the way forward, I knew I was meeting a very formidable politician in the person of Senator Jika who is a household name in Bauchi State.

“He is returning to a party that is very progressive and focused when we look at where he is coming from. He is coming from a party that used to be a decent party and highly respected but was later hijacked and polluted by the Kwankwasiya group.

“We are happy that the original NNPP is taking back its proper position and leaving the Kwankwasiya group deserted and thrown out completely.

“The Kwankwasiyya group, headed by the former Kano State governor, was forced to go into a sabbatical leave for eight years before it found its way back to Government House in Kano.

“The Kwankwasiya head, who wears a red cap, is the person who prefers to be a king in hell than be a servant in paradise. He specializes in deceiving people. He was first in PDP and came back to APC when it was formed. That was when the nPDP merged with the legacy parties to form the APC.

“Instead of staying in APC, but because of his ambition, he decided to leave APC after failing to pick the presidential ticket to go back to the PDP. He could not stay there as he failed to pick up the ticket.

“He still went on his own to contest the presidential poll and was defeated twice. He is a professional contestant for presidential elections and would remain a professional failure. He loves himself so much. I am happy you have dumped the red cap. It is a very sensible action you have taken.”

Ganduje promised the returnees of greater inclusion in the affairs of the party in the state as part of an ongoing effort to reposition the APC, ahead of the 2027 polls, stressing that the party regretted its performance at the just concluded general elections in the state.

Ganduje then carried out a symbolic change by removing the red cap, usually worn by the Kwankwasiya group and replacing it with the unbroken chain insignia cap of President Bola Tinubu to receive Jika and his group to the APC fold.

Speaking with journalists after the event, Jika said: “My dumping NNPP for APC has nothing to do with the presidential candidate of NNPP. I have no issue with Kwankwaso. The interest of Bauchi State informed my returning to APC.”

Admitting that Vice President Kashim Shettima and the first lady, Sen Remi Tinubu, also influenced his decision to return to the APC fold, the 9th Assembly senator pledged to remain loyal to APC and ensure its victory at both the state and federal levels in 2027.