The sudden resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown open the door to intense political intrigue — and an unexpected name is making the rounds: Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
A prominent APC chieftain, speaking to The Guardian under condition of anonymity, said the real story behind Ganduje’s exit runs deeper than the surface. According to him, the heat in the party’s zoning kitchen — particularly over claims by the North Central — may have finally cooked Ganduje’s tenure.
“Nobody voluntarily gives up that seat,” he said pointedly. “It’s always crisis-driven. That position was never for the North West. It belonged to the North Central, and Ganduje’s appointment ruffled feathers from day one.”
Drawing parallels with the abrupt exits of former chairmen like Adams Oshiomhole and Abdullahi Adamu, the chieftain warned that the APC national chairmanship is starting to look like a political hot potato— no one seems able to hold onto it for long.
Speculation of a rift between Ganduje and Vice President Kashim Shettima was swiftly dismissed, with the source instead dropping a bombshell:
“The Gombe drama? That was Tinubu’s hand. A calculated jab at the Northeast for underperforming in 2023. It wasn’t about Shettima or Ganduje — it was a wake-up call.”
Despite the fallout, the chieftain believes Ganduje remains fiercely loyal to President Bola Tinubu and will not rock the boat in 2027.
But then came the shocker.
“The wave is shifting. Don’t be surprised if Kwankwaso ends up as APC National Chairman. I believe he’s on his way into the party. It’s just a matter of time.”
If that happens, it would be a seismic political twist in Kano State’s power structure — a comeback for Kwankwaso in a most unexpected way, from opposition figure to the apex of the ruling party.
With the APC convention scheduled for December, the political chessboard is being reset — and all eyes are now on who makes the next move.