The National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, has resigned from his position.
He reportedly pinned his exit on health concerns.
But speculations are rife that he is upset with the President.
“He has informed the President and submitted his resignation letter to the party secretariat,” the source said. “But he has crossed the Rubicon and would not be changing his mind, hence, the leak to the Press.”
Former Governor of Kano state (2015 to 2023) before taking up the APC post in 2022, Ganduje announced his resignation with immediate effect.
According to party sources, Ganduje was angry over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wooing Kano strongman and the APC Chairman’s archrival to defect to the party.
Sources said Ganduje might have envisaged that Tinubu lobbying former Kano Governor and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in 2023, Kwankwaso, would whittle his own influence and it was the handwriting on the wall signalling the President preference for fresh blood in the North’s commercial hub.
Meanwhile, Ganduje will be replaced by one of those holding the post of APC National Vice Chairman temporarily until the December convention elects a substantive replacement.
Ganduje’s exit post-dated recent public engagements.
Earlier today, he led the APC national working committee (NWC) on a condolence visit to Umaru Bago, governor of Niger, at the state liaison office in Abuja.
They offered their sympathies over the devastating Mokwa flood, which has claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands, as well as a spate of bandit attacks in Mariga LGA.
On Thursday, Ganduje, accompanied by Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, APC national secretary, attended the second quarterly consultative meeting between INEC and political party leaders at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The resignation marks the end of Ganduje’s short but controversial tenure as APC chairman, which began in August 2023 following his appointment by the party’s national executive committee (NEC).
Barring any last-minute change of decision, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, will tender his resignation on Friday.
He was appointed in August 2023 after the resignation of Abdullahi Adamu as APC National Chairman.
One of his last public engagement as party Chairman was June 21 at the reception for defected Akwa Ibom State’s Governor Umo Eno, who left PDP for APC.
He tweeted: “Earlier Today in uyo, I had the honor of receiving Gov Umo Eno into our fold today in Uyo President Bola Ahmad Tinubu was ably represented by VP Kashim Shettima. The historic event was held at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, witnessed by APC governors, NASS members, & NWC officials.”
