The Politics Of Ganduje’s Resignation -By Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua

Umar Ganduje, the chairman of APC, resigned his position last week Friday, citing health challenges as the reason. Ganduje resignation came to many nigerians as surprise. On 25th February this year, after 18 months without NEC meeting and following barrage of criticisms from APC stakeholders notably: Salihu Lukman, Nasiru Elrufai and Kayode Fayemi, Ganduje conveyed NEC meeting in which the progressive governor forum chairman,Hope Ozodimma, saved his head through vote of confidence on the Ganduje ‘s leadership. Barely five months after the NEC meeting,in what seems to be another political permutations,Umar Ganduje had to relinquish his appointment to pave the way for the emergency of deputy vice chairman North,Ali dolari,to take the position in acting capacity pending the national convention scheduled to hold on November,2025. In 2023, after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had won election, Abdullahi Adamu who was the national chairman had to resign.

The former National chairman, Abdullahi Adamu who hailed from North -central is believed to have endorsed Ahmed Lawal, then senate President as the consensus candidate for 2023 elections. Ganduje is one of the top four northern governors who supported Tinubu in 2023.The other three are: former governors of Zamfara,Jigawa and kaduna state. It is only Elrufai who did not feature in Tinubu ‘s administration. When Umar Ganduje was appointed as the national chairman, despite the moral baggage he was carrying or bribery allegations against him, president Bola Ahmed Tinubu look the other way and allow him to emerge. While APC under Umar Ganduje has won many off cycle elections and brought several governors and some members of national assembly to its fold through cross-carpeting. But political watchers are yet to come to terms with the reason behind Ganduje’s sudden resignation.

The North-East APC caucus meeting held in Gombe state recently was embroiled in crises. The national chairman,Umar Ganduje and his Vice chairman North East were said to have endorsed Tinubu dropping his running mate,kashim Shettima. It took the intervention of security operatives to save Ganduje from being lynched by the supporters of kashim Shettima. Some nigerians believed Umar Ganduje must have stepped on the toes of powerful forces, including Kashim Shettima,hence his abrupt resignation. Another story links the fall of the former national chairman with the recent bwari area Council primary election in which there is an allegations of corruption against him. Ganduje has also been accused for meddling in the south-east politics, particularly the recent Anambra gubernatorial primary for the upcoming elections. It is also reported, Ganduje is hobnobbing with governor Hynciath Alia of Benue State against the faction of the secretary of the government of Federation(SGF), senator George Akume.

Another theory puts the Ganduje inglorious exist or down fall to a deliberate political strategy to lure his former estranged political boss,Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso into the APC. Ganduje served as Kwankwaso deputy until 2015 when through his support he succeeded him. However, Ganduje fall apart with Kwankwaso and they become an archive rivals. Ever since, there is no love lost between the duo.

Politically speaking, Kwankwaso is believed to have control over kano ‘s politics. Evidences are his superb performance in the 2023 presidential elections in which he won the state as the presidential candidate of NNPP. Rabiu Kwankwaso went ahead to win gubernatorial election for his political puppet,Abba Kabiru Yusuf. With APC strengthening its party and receiving many defectors,Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso is being courted by the ruling party. Did Umar Ganduje resignation has to do with expected defection of Kwankwaso? Is Ganduje resignation part of the condition for Kwankwaso to join APC? With Ganduje unceremonious exist, Nigerians should expect more political permutations as the country heads to 2027 election.

Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua, Kaduna State. 08169056963.