By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
RESIGNATION FROM the top seat of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked intense speculation as Abdullahi Umar Ganduje relinquished his role as national chairman with immediate effect.
His sudden departure, though officially linked to health reasons, is widely seen by insiders as politically charged.
Once a two-term governor of Kano State from 2015 to 2023, Ganduje’s elevation to APC chairman in August 2023 came at a time of internal discord.
His leadership, though brief, was also said to have unfolded under a cloud of intra-party friction, legal hurdles, and allegations of financial impropriety.
Ganduje’s exit was confirmed off-record by senior figures within the APC national secretariat, though no formal announcement has yet been issued by the party.
Until a new national convention is held in December, one of the party’s national vice chairmen is expected to assume the role in an acting capacity.
Despite his resignation, Ganduje appeared in robust public form over the past week. He led a condolence visit to Niger State’s liaison office in Abuja, expressing sympathies over the Mokwa flood disaster that claimed more than 200 lives.
Days earlier, he participated in a quarterly consultative meeting at INEC’s Abuja headquarters, joined by APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru.
His tenure was largely punctuated by legal disputes, including an April 2024 order by a Kano High Court restraining him from presenting himself as an APC member.
Though a Federal High Court in Abuja later dismissed a suit seeking his removal, unrest within the party lingered.
Also, protest over what some aspirants termed “excessive financial demands” for party tickets contributed to the unrest.
