Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said on Wednesday that he inherited an N8.98 billion debt in legal liabilities.

He said this in Abuja at the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at its national secretariat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, some APC governors and other critical party stakeholders attended the meeting.

Ganduje said the outstanding liabilities were for legal engagements during pre-election matters, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship and presidential elections.

The chairman also requested a new national secretariat to accommodate its national officers.

He said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), under his leadership, had applied to the Federal Capital Territory Administration for land.

Ganduje solicited the president’s intervention to ensure that the secretariat project materialised.

He said that the NWC had introduced a new, people-centered approach to campaign administration in fulfillment of his promise to take the party to the grassroots.

Ganduje said instead of inaugurating national campaign governorship councils for states in Abuja; they are now inaugurated in affected states.

This, he said, was to allow for greater participation by party members and other stakeholders in the respective states.

According to Ganduje, the innovation has helped to engage the right people to organise and manage campaigns in their states.

He also said the party’s focus was now on regaining power in Anambra and Osun.

The chairman added that, in compliance with INEC’s election timetable, the party had begun preparing for the April primary in Anambra, which was.

He also said the party had embarked on reconciliation of aggrieved members, adding that the move was gradually yielding the desired results.

“Through dialogue, we initiated high-level discussions among party leaders and other stakeholders with a view to resolving lingering differences among our members.

“The Conflict Reconciliation Committee, which you are about to approve, will build on this,” he said.

NAN also reports that members of NEC passed a vote of confidence on the president.

They said this was in recognition of his bold economic reforms, which were beginning to bear positive fruit.

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo moved the motion, which Adams Oshiomhole, the party's former national chairman, seconded.

NAN further reports that the NEC members passed a vote of confidence on Ganduje and the party’s NWC.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, were among the the party's chieftains who attended the meeting.

Governors in attendance included Edo, Monday Okpebholo, Ondo, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Benue, Hyacinth Alia and Ekiti, and Biodun Oyebanji.

Others were those of Kaduna, Uba Sani; Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule; Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Kogi, Usman Ododo; and Ogun, Dapo Abiodun.

Former governors who attended included Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, and Bello Mattawalle of Zamfara.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, was also at the meeting.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo were, however, absent at the meeting.

Ganduje was appointed chairman by the party's NEC on Aug. 3, 2023, following Abdullahi Adamu’s resignation.