Indications have emerged that Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was compelled to resign as national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State, reportedly tendered his resignation letter yesterday, citing health reasons.
However, reliable sources, who spoke to Weekend Trust, linked Ganduje’s resignation to permutations ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The sources confirmed that the head of one of the security agencies was at Ganduje’s residence around 2 a.m. on Friday to demand his resignation letter.
We are all shocked. We didn’t see it coming,” said a source close to the former chairman.
The source also disclosed that a governor from the North East who has been very active in the party and a prominent politician from the North West who is very close to the president visited Ganduje yesterday “apparently to console him.”
Meanwhile, earlier yesterday, Ganduje led members of the party’s National Working Committee, NEC, on a condolence visit to the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago at the state’s liaison office in Abuja, over the devastating Mokwa flood and bandit attacks in Mariga LGA on the state.
The visit is believed to be the last official function he performed as national chairman of the APC.
Meanwhile, earlier yesterday, Ganduje led members of the party’s National Working Committee, NEC, on a condolence visit to the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago at the state’s liaison office in Abuja, over the devastating Mokwa flood and bandit attacks in Mariga LGA on the state.
The visit is believed to be the last official function he performed as national chairman of the APC.
Meanwhile, earlier yesterday, Ganduje led members of the party’s National Working Committee, NEC, on a condolence visit to the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago at the state’s liaison office in Abuja, over the devastating Mokwa flood and bandit attacks in Mariga LGA on the state.
The visit is believed to be the last official function he performed as national chairman of the APC.
Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State, was reportedly forced to resign after the 2023 general elections. He was believed not to have not supported Tinubu during the APC presidential primaries. He was said to have backed the then Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, as the consensus candidate. Tinubu ultimately defeated Lawan and others to clinch the ticket.
After the elections, Adamu resigned, paving the way for Ganduje, a key Tinubu campaigner, to assume the chairmanship of the party. But since then, North Central stakeholders have demanded that the position return to their zone, rather than remain in the North West where Ganduje comes from.
With Ganduje’s exit, attention has shifted to the North Central for his replacement, with the spotlight on three prominent figures: Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Senator George Akume and Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, also known as 313.
A founding APC member and former governor of Nasarawa State, Al-Makura is viewed as Tinubu’s loyalist. He was believed to have played a central role in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc during the 2013 merger that birthed the APC.
Senator Akume, who is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is seen as a loyalist and associate of President Tinubu, having served as governor of Benue State the same time the president served as governor of Lagos State.
Senator Musa, who represents Niger East Senatorial District and had previously contested the party’s chairmanship, is also a close ally of the president. Musa is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.
However, analysts say the trio face a structural challenge: the fact that APC governors currently lead their respective states. Since governors are traditionally recognised as party leaders in their states, this dynamics may complicate the trio’s chances resigned, paving the way for Ganduje, a key Tinubu campaigner, to assume the chairmanship of the party. But since then, North Central stakeholders have demanded that the position return to their zone, rather than remain in the North West where Ganduje comes from.
Dalori may emerge acting chair as APC mulls emergency NEC meeting
Barring any last-minute change of decision, the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the party, Hon. Abubakar Kyari Dalori, is expected to assume control of the party’s national leadership in acting capacity, following Ganduje’s resignation. He is likely to remain in the position until the party’s national convention scheduled for November.
APC’s National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, told Daily Trust last night that he was not aware of Ganduje’s resignation. However, he explained that constitutionally, if the office of national chairman becomes vacant, the deputy national chairman from the same region would automatically take over in acting capacity.
“So, as things stand today, if indeed Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has resigned, the deputy national chairman (North) will step in as acting chairman. That is Dalori. But that’s if he has truly resigned as you’ve said. I’m not confirming to you that Dr Ganduje has resigned,” Ibrahim said.
Weekend Trust also gathered that an emergency meeting of the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) was being planned to be held in the coming days.
Weekend Trust
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