By Aminu Garko
In a surprise move on Friday, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje stepped down from his exalted position citing health reasons. But observers of developments within the party say it goes beyond that.
APC party emerged from the merger of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in addition to some members of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who preferred to call themselves New PDP.
It swept to power at the Federal level in 2015 led by Muhammadu Buhari who was not only elected president but also became a symbol of the party because of his tough stance on integrity and anti-corruption.
Ganduje, a former governor of north-western Kano State, emerged the national chairman under controversial circumstances following the sack of Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu a former governor of Nasarawa State in the north-central part of the country.
In spite of the controversy surrounding his emergence as the national chairman on August 3, 2023, Ganduje galvanized the party and healed the 2023 post-presidential election wounds.
For a party built on integrity and fair play, north-central members of APC had consistently seen the emergence of Ganduje as usurpation of their prime space within the APC hierarchy. Their push for the restoration of that position has been hard. The odds favour north-central this time around.
Zoning Consensus Favors North-Central
Political analysts say Ganduje’s resignation, long speculated and now confirmed, is seen as part of a broader realignments within the APC leadership, as the party prepares for internal reforms and begins early groundwork for the 2027 general elections.
They say ahead of the general elections APC may benefit from his sportsmanship display in two key areas.
One is winning back the disgruntled north-central bloc which had hitherto felt short-changed as well as having some implications for the much speculated decamping into the party of Musa Kwankwaso, the strong man of Kano politics.
This sudden resignation has set off a fresh wave of political consultations and pamultations, among some leading political actors in the north-central zone with Sen. Tanko Al-Makura and Sen. Mohammed Musa—as possible successors to Ganduje.
While Al-Makura is from Nasarawa, same state as Adamu, Ganduje’s predecessor and also a former governor like the duo, Musa is from Niger, his state has not tested the position.
As the APC looks to maintain internal balance, sticking to its zoning formula has emerged as a key determinant in the succession process.
With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the South-West and Senate President Godswill Akpabio from the South-South, party leaders have resolved that the national chairmanship should remain in the North-Central geopolitical zone.
This has placed Al-Makura and Musa in pole position because of the widely recognised influence and respect they command within the party.
Al-Makura: APC Loyalist, Political Stabiliser
A founding member of the APC and former governor of Nasarawa State, Al-Makura is regarded as a party loyalist with a calm and deliberate leadership style.
He was a key player in the CPC bloc during the 2013 merger that birthed the APC and is widely viewed as a bridge between the party’s legacy factions.
“Al-Makura is steady, grounded, and understands the dynamics of the party. He is a unifying figure at a time when the APC needs stability more than anything,” said Alhaji Idris Mohammed, a chieftain of the party.