…Dalori appointed Acting Chairman
In a surprise development, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has resigned from his position with immediate effect, citing health reasons.
Ganduje, a former Governor of Kano State who assumed the chairmanship in August 2023 after Senator Abdullahi Adamu, stated that he needs to focus on his well-being.
However, party insiders suggested that Ganduje’s resignation goes beyond health concerns, pointing instead to mounting internal pressure and discontent over his leadership style and controversial decisions. A senior party source disclosed that Ganduje’s handling of the recent FCT Area Council primary elections — described by some members as a “disgrace” — intensified calls for his exit.
“The obvious and ridiculous outing in the Bwari Area Council Chairmanship primary election was the height of disgrace. The DPO visibly chased other aspirants away, leaving only one Hon. Joshua Musa Ishaku – a PDP stooge who did not support Tinubu during the 2023 presidential primaries”, the source said.
Stakeholders, particularly from the North-Central geo-political zone, have long demanded that the chairmanship return to their region, arguing that they have been marginalised in key party positions. Ganduje’s resignation appears to have paved the way for a major shift within the party’s leadership structure.
Following his exit, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has swiftly appointed Ali Bukar Dalori, one of the party’s national vice chairmen, as the Acting National Chairman. Dalori is expected to lead the party until a substantive chairman is elected at the national convention scheduled for December 2025.
When visited yesterday, the APC national secretariat in Abuja was filled with supporters discussing the unexpected development and awaiting formal confirmation. Although attempts to reach the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, were unsuccessful, a former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, confirmed the development on his X handle, saying Ganduje’s resignation was “confirmed by multiple sources”.
Party leaders see Dalori’s appointment as a crucial step to stabilise the ruling party and reposition it for cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
