Unpacking Ganduje’s APC Resignation: A Power Play Shaking Nigeria’s Ruling Party

Abuja, Nigeria – The recent resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has sent ripples of speculation and intrigue throughout the political landscape. While his official statement cited “health reasons” for stepping down, deep-seated political observers and reliable party insiders suggest a far more complex narrative: a forced exit orchestrated by high-stakes permutations ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Ganduje’s departure is not merely a change in party leadership but a strategic maneuver that underscores the shifting power dynamics within the APC and the intricate web of Nigerian politics.

The Midnight Demand and Shockwaves Within the Party

The purported “resignation” was far from voluntary. According to credible sources close to the former chairman, Ganduje was subjected to intense pressure, culminating in a dramatic late-night visit. “The head of one of the security agencies was at Ganduje’s residence around 2 a.m. on Friday to demand his resignation letter,” a source revealed to Weekend Trust. This unprecedented move, involving a security apparatus in what should have been an internal party matter, underscores the gravity and top-down nature of the directive.

The news landed like a bombshell within party circles. “We are all shocked. We didn’t see it coming,” another source close to Ganduje admitted, indicating the clandestine nature of the maneuver. The swiftness and secrecy surrounding his removal suggest a calculated decision by powerful figures within the party, likely with the blessing of the highest office. The visits from a prominent North East governor (active in party affairs) and a key North West politician (close to the President) shortly after the news broke were seen not just as condolence calls, but perhaps as signals of realignment and the establishment of a new order. Ganduje’s last official public function as chairman was indeed a condolence visit to the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, over recent tragedies, an ironically serene end to a turbulent tenure.

The Kwankwaso Factor: A Strategic Chess Move for 2027

At the heart of Ganduje’s compelled exit lies the towering figure of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and a political heavyweight. President Bola Tinubu has long been perceived as courting Kwankwaso, recognizing his significant influence, particularly in Kano State – a crucial political battleground.

One insider explicitly linked Ganduje’s removal to Kwankwaso’s potential return to the APC. “You know Kwankwaso gave the president one condition for rejoining the APC: Ganduje’s removal as national chairman,” the source stated. The presence of Ganduje, a staunch political rival, had made it impossible for Kwankwaso to assume effective party leadership within Kano, a prerequisite for his re-entry.

The immediate trigger for the forceful intervention was reportedly intelligence suggesting that Kwankwaso was being actively approached by the opposition coalition, led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The prospect of Kwankwaso aligning with the opposition, potentially strengthening a formidable challenge in 2027, appears to have spurred the presidency into swift action. Losing Kwankwaso, with his substantial political base, to the opposition would have been a significant strategic setback for the APC’s future electoral ambitions.

Another source corroborated the Kwankwaso factor, adding that the upcoming APC congress also played a role. It is believed that President Tinubu recognized that retaining Ganduje would complicate efforts to bring in Kwankwaso and other influential political figures from various states. Without the ability to offer these heavyweights control over state party structures, their incentive to join the APC would be significantly diminished. Thus, Ganduje’s removal clears the path for a broader political consolidation ahead of the next electoral cycle.

The North Central Demand: Zonal Politics and Historical Grievances

Beyond the Kwankwaso dynamics, Ganduje’s chairmanship also faced sustained opposition stemming from deep-seated zonal politics, particularly from stakeholders in the North Central region. This zone felt marginalized following the forced resignation of Ganduje’s predecessor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who hails from Nasarawa State in the North Central.

Adamu, a former Nasarawa State Governor, reportedly faced immense pressure to resign after the 2023 general elections. His perceived lack of support for Tinubu during the APC presidential primaries – where he allegedly backed then-Senate President Ahmad Lawan as a consensus candidate against Tinubu – created an unbridgeable chasm with the eventual President. Following Tinubu’s victory, Adamu’s departure paved the way for Ganduje, a prominent Tinubu campaigner, to assume the party’s helm.

However, since then, North Central stakeholders have consistently demanded that the crucial position of National Chairman revert to their zone, arguing against its retention in the North West, where Ganduje originates. Ganduje’s exit immediately shifts the spotlight to the North Central for his replacement. Three prominent figures from the region are now considered front-runners:

• Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura: A founding APC member and former Nasarawa State governor, viewed as a loyalist to President Tinubu, credited with a central role in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc during the 2013 merger that formed the APC.
• Senator George Akume: The current Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and a long-standing ally of President Tinubu, having served as governor of Benue State concurrently with Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor.
• Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (313): Representing Niger East Senatorial District, a close ally of the president and current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, who had previously vied for the party’s chairmanship.

Analysts, however, point out a potential structural challenge for this trio: the fact that APC governors currently lead their respective states in the North Central. Governors traditionally hold significant sway as party leaders in their states, which could complicate the emergence and political maneuvering of other prominent figures from the same zone for the national chairmanship.

Interim Leadership and the Turbulent History of APC Chairmen

Barring any last-minute changes, Hon. Abubakar Kyari Dalori, the Deputy National Chairman (North), is constitutionally expected to assume acting national leadership of the APC following Ganduje’s resignation. He is likely to hold this position until the party’s national convention, currently slated for November. The APC’s National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, confirmed that the party’s constitution dictates that if the national chairman’s office becomes vacant, the deputy national chairman from the same region automatically takes over in an acting capacity.

In the coming days, an emergency meeting of the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is reportedly being planned. This meeting is anticipated to formalize the interim arrangement and perhaps lay the groundwork for the eventual ratification or election of a substantive chairman at the November convention. Party insiders suggest ongoing consultations are aimed at achieving a consensus candidate to prevent divisive contests and internal fragmentation, a common Achilles’ heel for the party.

Indeed, the APC has a history of tumultuous leadership changes. Since its formation in 2013, the party has had six national chairmen, most of whom exited under controversial circumstances:

• Chief Bisi Akande (2013–2014): The interim national chairman following the party’s merger.
• Chief John Odigie-Oyegun (2014–2018): The APC’s first substantive national chairman, who succeeded Akande after intense negotiations.
• Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (2018–2020): Became chairman with the backing of then-President Muhammadu Buhari. His tenure was marked by severe factional conflicts and internal crises, leading to the dissolution of his National Working Committee (NWC) on June 25, 2020, amidst allegations of abuse of office and failure to unite the party.
• Mai Mala Buni (2020–2022): The Yobe State Governor was appointed chairman of the National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee after Oshiomhole’s removal. While successful in attracting high-profile defectors, his committee was widely criticized for repeatedly failing to deliver a timely national convention, leading to mounting pressure that eventually paved the way for Adamu.
• Senator Abdullahi Adamu (2022–2023): Emerged as chairman from the convention that followed Buni’s tenure. His leadership faced significant criticisms, including accusations of high-handedness and unilateral decisions, which he publicly denied. His alleged opposition to Tinubu during the presidential primaries eventually led to his forced resignation.
• Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (2023–2025): A key campaigner for Tinubu, he assumed the chairmanship after Adamu’s exit. His recent “resignation” now adds another chapter to the party’s complex history of leadership transitions, further highlighting the precarious nature of power within Nigeria’s ruling political establishment.

Ganduje’s departure, therefore, is not an isolated incident but a continuation of a pattern of internal power struggles and strategic realignments that have come to define the APC’s leadership trajectory. As the party navigates this latest change, all eyes will be on the ensuing political maneuvers and the selection of his successor, which will undoubtedly have profound implications for the 2027 general elections and the broader political stability of Nigeria.