Daud Olatunji
Fresh details have emerged on the real reasons behind the sudden resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), pointing to a combination of political intrigue, legal troubles, and health concerns.
Ganduje, a former two-term governor of Kano State, stepped down from his position on Friday, in a move that multiple impeccable sources told PLATFORM TIMES was far from voluntary.
The resignation, which takes immediate effect, comes amid growing internal pressure and behind-the-scenes negotiations orchestrated at the highest levels of power.
Top among the factors that sealed Ganduje’s exit is the calculated political move to pave the way for the defection of his long-time political rival and predecessor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, into the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
PLATFORM TIMES reliably gathered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been actively courting Kwankwaso, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), as part of his broader realignment strategy in the North.
However, Kwankwaso reportedly made it clear that he would not join the APC with Ganduje at the helm, given the deep-rooted animosity between the two Kano heavyweights.
“The President is serious about bringing Kwankwaso into the APC fold, but everyone knows he and Ganduje cannot co-exist in the same political space,” a senior APC insider who requested anonymity told PLATFORM TIMES.
“The resignation was more of a sacrifice to allow for a bigger political alliance ahead of 2027.”
In addition to the Kwankwaso factor, Ganduje’s ongoing legal battles and health status were also cited as compelling reasons behind the decision.
He is currently facing a forgery-related court case that has put the party in a difficult position regarding its image and internal integrity.
Despite claiming health reasons in his resignation letter, Ganduje had continued to make public appearances that contradicted his stated condition.
On the same day of his resignation, he led the APC National Working Committee (NWC) on a condolence visit to Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, following the tragic Mokwa floods and renewed bandit attacks in Mariga Local Government Area.
Just a day earlier, he participated in a high-level consultative meeting between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties.
His resignation brings to an end a short but turbulent tenure that began in August 2023, following the exit of Abdullahi Adamu.
His leadership was marked by legal tussles, internal crises, and intense factionalism, particularly in the Kano APC chapter.
In an official confirmation on Friday night, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, stated that Ganduje’s resignation was to allow him to attend to “urgent and important personal matters.”
The party has named Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Dalori, as acting chairman pending a formal ratification by the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) during its December meeting.
“The confidence placed in him by the party’s NEC and national caucus meetings in February 2025 was a profound recognition and honour for his service,” Morka said in a statement.
“He leaves his position with pride in our collective achievements, including defections from opposition parties and legal affirmations of our party’s leadership.”
However, political observers believe Ganduje’s departure signals more than a personal decision—it is a strategic political chess move aimed at reshaping the APC’s northern bloc and enhancing its electoral chances in 2027.
With Ganduje out, all eyes are now on Kwankwaso and whether he will make the much-anticipated move to the APC, a decision that could significantly alter Nigeria’s political landscape in the months ahead.
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