Isaac Samuel
Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has reportedly resigned from his position as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Although no official reason was given for his sudden departure, development within the party hinted that the resignation followed a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the early hours of Friday.
There were visible signs of Ganduje’s exit at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, where his aides were seen packing personal belongings from his office.
Ganduje, a former two-term governor of Kano State and long-time ally of President Tinubu, was appointed APC chairman on August 3, 2023, following the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
However, his leadership faced legal challenges and internal resistance. In September 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit by the North Central APC Forum seeking to nullify his appointment on the grounds that he hails from Kano in the North West, whereas the chairmanship was expected to remain in the North Central.
In January 2025, Ganduje was named Chairman of the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), an appointment seen by some analysts as a political trade-off.
While a formal resignation letter reportedly cited health reasons, it might not be unconnected to growing unrest within the APC over alleged financial impropriety and the imposition of high fees on aspirants.
Particularly, area council aspirants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were said to have complained about exorbitant costs tied to obtaining the party’s nomination forms under his leadership.
As of press time, the APC is yet to issue an official statement on the resignation.
