By Aminu Dahiru
The resignation of the immediate past chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje came to many Nigerians as a surprise, considering the heavy spadework he put to reposition and consolidate the party ahead of the 2027 election. The abruptness of the resignation sent some shock waves.
This was coming at a time when the party was gathering momentum especially in some hard-to-reach areas like South East and South-South. Ganduje strengthened up the crookedness; increased the party’s acceptability; and assembled political powerhouses in each of the states of the federation to warrant the party’s victory in the 2027 elections.
READ ALSO: Ganduje resigns as APC National Chairman
Arguably, no past leader of the APC was as innovative, visionary and result-oriented as Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. His legacy as the APC chairman speaks loud and with greater clarity,
A former governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje bravely accepted the mantle of leadership of the APC on August 3rd 2023, when the political party was neck-deep in crisis. It was almost at the verge of ideological fracture, courtesy of some misguided handling of the party. The 2023 elections, which produced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had created several fissures and cracks within the party structure and at state levels. Many esteemed party members were going at the jugular of each other; in some states the party was being starved out of ego.
As a seasoned bureaucrat and a political bulldozer, Ganduje rolled up his sleeves and began to work. He led a reconciliation committee and embarked on a tour to many states of the federation. He assiduously stitched almost all the political cleavages within the party. The result is the formidable APC we see today. Even Ganduje’s detractors in the presidency are secretly proud of Gnaduje’s gains as the APC national chairman.
Ganduje’s scorecard…
The stability the party experiences attracted high-profile defections; notably among them are two sitting governors of Delta and Akwa Ibom states, Sheriff Oborevwori and Umo Eno respectively. Satisfied with Ganduje leadership, the duo joined the party alongside their deputies and their entire cabinets. These defections, among others, strengthened the APC and weakened the opposition’s political grasp.
To weigh how effective Ganduje’s leadership was, one has to cite the defection of Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election and a former governor of Delta state, Ifeanyi Okowa, who joined the party alongside his political structure.
Other prominent political figures who joined the party include Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, former Deputy Senate President; Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) and Chiedu Ebie, Chairman of NDDC Governing Board.
Kano
In Kano, Ganduje nearly stripped the ruling NNPP naked. He brought Senator representing Kano South, Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila; a former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, a serving federal lawmaker, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum (Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya), and a former Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Baffa Bichi; the members representing Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya and Karaye/Rogo Federal Constituencies, Kabiru Usman and Abdullahi Sani Rogo respectively and Zubairu Hamza Massu, former commissioners Diggol and Abbas Sani Abbas.
Kebbi
In May 2025, three PDP senators from Kebbi state: Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central); Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North); and Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) defected to the APC and were received by Ganduje:
As a political bellwether of repute, Ganduje led the APC to victory in the Edo and Kogi governorship elections. The party also recorded landslide victories in off-cycle elections in Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa, Edo, and Ondo States.
The result is that the APC is ensuring electoral dominance and grassroots outreach across the six geopolitical zones of the federation.
In Edo, the sacking of the opposition camp by Abdullahi Ganduje continues. In May 2025, Edo State legislators and executives including Blessing Agbebaku, Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly; Sunny Ifada (Esan Central); Yekini Idaiye (Akoko Edo I) as well as several other councillors and party leaders like former Deputy Speaker Roland Asoro, ex–Majority Leader Nosa Nosayaba, and former PDP State Secretary Gabriel Oloruntoba jumped to the APC from the PDP.
It was under Ganduje political figures like Prof. Rufai Alkali, former NNPP National Chairman; Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi, NNPP’s ex–National Organising Sec; Prof. Ben Angwe, ex–NNPP Legal Adviser; Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South) from YPP; and Sen. Uche Ekwunife joined the APC.
The Progressive Institute (TPI)…
It was under the leadership of Abdullahi Umar Gnaduje the party launched The Progressive Institute (TPI) TPI meant to serve as the official Policy Think Tank of the party to facilitate good governance and to initiate youths into political philosophy.
In another regard, as Ganduje said the essence of the institute “is to enhance the policy capacity of the party, especially to enable it to provide policy advice and suggestions for the consideration of governments elected on its platform.”
That was the first time a political party in Nigeria found it imperative to establish an institution aimed at addressing the issue of youth inclusion in politics.
Ganduje’s resignation on June 27 calls for sober reflection. Of course, his style of leadership attracted a broad array of significant opposition figures across multiple states to the APC, consolidating the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Indeed, there was a seriously innovative and sincere party leader, who gave all he had for the APC to become the party it is today. History will remember Baba Ganduje as a political strategist who fertilized political fields in Nigeria for political democracy to thrive.
Aminu Dahiru serves as the visual communication aide to Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON
