Fresh details have emerged on the circumstances that led to the resignation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Recall that Ganduje stepped down following ongoing political moves involving President Bola Tinubu and former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The development, insiders say, is tied to a reported agreement aimed at bringing Kwankwaso into the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ganduje’s resignation was formally announced on Friday, with the APC’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Bukar Dalori of Borno State, named as Acting National Chairman pending the election of a substantive replacement.
In an official statement confirming the resignation, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, stated that “In his letter of resignation addressed to the National Working Committee (NWC) through the National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, Ganduje expressed gratitude to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Tinubu, for the opportunity to serve the party at the highest level.”
Sources at the APC national secretariat revealed that tension had been building since Friday afternoon, with Ganduje reportedly threatening to resign as early as 3 p.m. following news of the Tinubu-Kwankwaso deal.
Efforts to dissuade him from quitting were said to have involved several key party officials, including the National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru.
“We are currently pleading with him (Ganduje) not to resign. He is upset that Kwankwaso is coming to the APC. I think the two of them are sworn enemies. All the stakeholders are begging him to stay,” a party source disclosed.
Despite the appeals, confirmation of Ganduje’s resignation emerged shortly after 4:15 p.m.
“He has eventually resigned. We couldn’t stop him. I think there is something personal between him and Kwankwaso, who is ready to join the APC after some discussions with the President,” another source added.
When approached for comment on the mood at the party secretariat, a staff member said, “There is no crisis, just that the chairman has resigned and people gathered at the secretariat to discuss about it.”
The strained relationship between Ganduje and Kwankwaso dates back to their time in Kano politics. Both men once shared a political alliance under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with Kwankwaso serving as governor between 1999 and 2003, and again from 2011 to 2015. Ganduje served as his deputy during the latter’s tenure.
Their political friendship soured after Ganduje succeeded Kwankwaso as governor in 2015 under the APC banner. Since then, the two have been bitter rivals, frequently clashing over Kano’s political influence.
A key flashpoint in their rivalry was the 2020 dethronement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, widely seen as a Kwankwaso loyalist. Sanusi, however, was reinstated as Emir of Kano on May 23, 2024, by Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), under Kwankwaso’s leadership.
Though Ganduje cited health concerns as the official reason for his resignation, political observers link his decision directly to the latest rapprochement between Tinubu and Kwankwaso.
When contacted for clarification on Kwankwaso’s alleged defection plans, one of his close allies, Buba Galadima, said he was unaware of any such arrangement. However, he hinted at an ongoing political manoeuvring within the APC.
“I am not aware of the defection plan. However, I know Kwankwaso and Ganduje have personal issues. I am equally aware that there was a meeting of APC stakeholders and the presidency three days ago where they agreed that Ganduje and Shettima should be sacrificed to bring a new set of people into government and the party,” Galadima said.
President Tinubu, who was elected in 2023, is widely believed to be repositioning the APC for the 2027 general elections. The opposition, meanwhile, has begun mobilising for a coalition to unseat the ruling party, with 2023 presidential runner-up Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party candidate Peter Obi among the key figures involved.
