APC’s Power Game That Forced Ganduje Out

 Barely a year after his dramatic emergence as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje tendered his resignation, last week, under circumstances that insiders say reflect more political pressure than personal health concerns. Though the official narrative from the party headquarters in Abuja attributed the former Kano governor’s exit to health considerations, investigation by SUNDAY INDEPENDENT reveals a web of zoning disputes, internal power play, and silent presidential pressure. 

ABUJA

Resignation On Health Grounds 

On Thursday, June 27, 2025, Ganduje reportedly submitted his resignation in writing, addressed to the APC National Working Committee (NWC). The letter, signed by National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, cited Ganduje’s failing health and the need for urgent personal attention as the core reason for his stepping down. 

President Bola Tinubu was quick to endorse the transition, directing Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, to take over in an acting capacity pending a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for July 24. 

Dalori assumed leadership with immediate effect and held a closed-door strategy session with the NWC on Monday. Speaking after the meeting, he emphasized discipline and unity, promising not to allow Ganduje’s exit to destabilize the party. But behind the scenes, party insiders paint a different picture. 

The Quiet Storm, And The Baggage 

Several high-ranking APC sources who spoke on condition of anonymity described the resignation as the climax of long-simmering tensions over Ganduje’s controversial leadership. His appointment in 2023 had sparked outrage among stakeholders from the North Central region who claimed the position was zoned to them following Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s exit. 

“The entire North Central was alienated. Ganduje was seen as a Northern interloper forced on the party by powerful interests in the South-West,” said one APC chieftain from Nasarawa State. 

As pressure mounted, insiders say President Tinubu—concerned about 2027 realignments—began to see Ganduje as a liability. The President, according to sources, discreetly advised the embattled chairman to “step aside with honour” or risk public disgrace. 

An APC national officer revealed: “There was no appetite for a messy removal process. The corruption baggage Ganduje carries is well-known. The best option was a silent resignation, dressed up with health excuses.” 

Money-For-Ticket Allegation 

Though unproven in court, Ganduje’s record has been dogged by corruption allegations. His tenure as Kano State governor was marred by viral videos purporting to show him receiving bundles of U.S. dollars from contractors. 

Recently, fresh allegations surfaced that the APC, under Ganduje’s leadership, was extorting area council aspirants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), demanding millions in exchange for party tickets. 

“The primaries in the FCT were a scandal,” a senior APC youth leader told Sunday Independent. “Ganduje’s kitchen cabinet turned the process into a money machine. That pushed many stakeholders to escalate complaints directly to the Villa.” 

In response, the Presidency reportedly began holding strategic consultations, with some suggesting a pre-emptive leadership reset to clean the house and reposition the party ahead of 2027. 

Southern Grip, Northern Anger 

Ganduje’s exit also re-opened old wounds in APC’s fragile power-sharing structure. A faction of the party, especially in the North, believed the chairman had become too dependent on South-West power brokers. 

The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, a socio-political group sympathetic to the APC, even accused some Southern leaders of orchestrating Ganduje’s political isolation. 

In a strongly worded statement, the forum said: “The South-West faction within the APC has hijacked the levers of the party. Ganduje’s removal is part of a calculated purge of Northern interests ahead of the 2027 elections.” 

With North Central demanding the return of the chairmanship, pressure has mounted for the NEC to nominate someone like Senator Tanko Al-Makura or even Rabiu Kwankwaso, both of whom are said to be on the radar of the Presidency. 

Dalori’s Ascent: Tinubu’s Silent Hand 

Ali Bukar Dalori, the soft-spoken Borno-born politician who took over as acting chairman, is widely seen as a loyalist of President Tinubu. A former Borno APC chairman and long-time ally of Vice President Kashim Shettima, Dalori’s sudden elevation has been interpreted as a strategic move by the presidency. 

“Dalori is a placeholder,” said a source close to the APC Governors’ Forum. “His main job is to stabilize the party until a substantive chairman, most likely someone from the North Central or with national acceptability, is picked.” 

The choice of Dalori also appeases some North-East stakeholders who have been quietly agitating for more prominence within the party hierarchy. 

Deciding Ganduje’s Successor 

With the party’s NEC scheduled to meet on July 24, all eyes are now on who will emerge as Ganduje’s substantive successor. Political watchers believe that President Tinubu is carefully balancing regional demands and personal loyalty in deciding the next chairman. 

Sources told Sunday Independent that the President is keen on a candidate who can help consolidate his base ahead of a potentially tough 2027 re-election campaign, while also mending fences with disgruntled zones. 

Among those being considered are Senator Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa State), representing North Central zoning interests; Hon. James Faleke, another North Central politician from Kogi State (though based in South-West, he is deeply entrenched in party logistics); Senator George Akume – a key North-Central heavyweight although already serving as Secretary to the Government of the Federation. 

Ganduje’s Political Future 

Despite the fallout, Ganduje is unlikely to disappear from the political scene entirely. He currently chairs the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), a position he was quietly appointed to earlier this year. 

However, his options may now be limited. Party insiders say he will be “closely watched” and discouraged from participating in internal politics, at least in the short term. 

A source in the Presidency said: “Baba (Tinubu) doesn’t abandon loyalists, but he also knows when to pull the plug. Ganduje has played his role. It’s time for new hands.” 

Tactical, Not Voluntary Exit 

In the end, Ganduje’s resignation was less about health and more about strategic containment. Faced with growing internal dissent, zoning agitation, and unresolved corruption allegations, the APC moved swiftly to prevent a political meltdown. 

With a temporary leadership in place and NEC set to determine a long-term chair, the party now faces a crucial test: Can it emerge from this episode more united—or will Ganduje’s ouster open fresh fissures that could weaken its 2027 calculations? 

Whatever happens next, one thing is certain: Ganduje’s fall has redrawn the internal map of the APC—and set the stage for another round of high-stakes political realignment.