Politics

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially confirmed the resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as its National Chairman. The announcement was made in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Friday night. According to the statement, Ganduje cited urgent personal and health-related matters as his reason for stepping down, with the resignation taking immediate effect. The letter was addressed to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) through the National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru. Read Also: APC’s Rising Star: The Woman Ganduje Trusted with the Future Morka praised Ganduje’s leadership, highlighting his efforts in strengthening party unity, advancing democratic ideals, and enhancing the APC’s electoral competitiveness. He noted that Ganduje’s tenure saw key defections into the APC and legal victories affirming the party’s leadership. “The confidence placed in him by the NEC and national caucus in February 2025 was a clear recognition of his contributions. He leaves the position with pride in the party’s collective achievements,” the statement read. In the interim, the party has directed Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, to assume the role of acting National Chairman, pending the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for December.

In a surprising development, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has tendered his resignation as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with immediate effect. Ganduje, a former two-term Governor of Kano State and a prominent northern political figure, said his decision was driven by health concerns that require him to step back from active political leadership and focus on his personal well-being. The announcement comes at a critical time for the ruling party, as it prepares for court-ordered rerun and bye-elections scheduled for August 16, 2025, across 16 constituencies in 12 states. Related: APC’s Rising Star: The Woman Ganduje Trusted with the Future In his resignation letter, Ganduje expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Executive Committee of the APC, and stakeholders nationwide for their support during his tenure. He described his time in office as both an honour and a responsibility and pledged to continue supporting the APC’s mission even outside of formal leadership. “It is with a heavy heart that I tender my resignation as National Chairman of our great party, the APC. After careful consultation with my family and medical advisers, I have decided to step down in order to take care of my health, which I have overlooked for too long while carrying out my responsibilities,” Ganduje stated. Confirming the development, Sanusi Sa’id Kiru, a former Commissioner of Education during Ganduje’s administration in Kano and a Director at The Progressive Institute (TPI), acknowledged the resignation. In a brief statement, Kiru described the move as a difficult but necessary decision, adding that Ganduje’s health and personal well-being must take precedence. Read Also: Tinubu, Governors Join Ganduje to Receive Governor Eno into APC Party sources said that internal consultations are already ongoing within the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) to determine his interim replacement ahead of a likely emergency convention. Ganduje’s resignation brings to a close an eventful tenure as party chairman, during which he focused on internal reconciliation, strategic reforms, and preparation for the 2027 general elections. His leadership, though brief, was marked by an effort to stabilize the party after the transition from the Buhari administration to President Tinubu’s government. As of the time of filing this report, the APC has yet to announce an acting chairman, but several high-ranking members are reportedly positioning themselves to fill the role.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) were conspicuously absent as the leadership of political parties in Nigeria met with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a quarterly consultative meeting held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. Present at the meeting were chairmen and secretaries of several registered political parties, including Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The meeting was presided over by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu. The absence of PDP officials is believed to be linked to the internal crisis that has fractured the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). At the center of the turmoil is the ongoing dispute over the office of the National Secretary. Until recently, the position has been contested by three individuals. Senator Samuel Anyanwu was rejected by the party’s South East caucus in favor of Mr. Sunday Ude-Okoye, prompting the appointment of Deputy National Secretary, Arc. Setonji Koshedo, in an acting capacity. Related: Tinubu, Governors Join Ganduje to Receive Governor Eno into APC However, in a dramatic turn on Wednesday, Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Ilya Damagum, announced at a press conference that Anyanwu remains the party’s scribe. The announcement was quickly countered by other NWC members, who insisted that Anyanwu is no longer in office. The Labour Party is also entangled in a leadership crisis following the suspension of Julius Abure and the recognition of Senator Nenadi Usman as Acting National Chairman by a faction of the party. During the meeting, Prof. Yakubu announced that a new round of bye-elections will be conducted on Saturday, August 16, 2025, across 16 constituencies in 12 states. He also revealed that INEC will resume the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, beginning in Anambra State on July 8, 2025, with a nationwide rollout expected later in August. The bye-elections are being organized to fill vacancies in two Senatorial Districts, Anambra South and Edo Central, five Federal Constituencies, and nine State House of Assembly seats. The vacancies arose due to deaths, resignations, and court rulings. A total of 3,553,659 registered voters across 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 Polling Units are expected to participate. INEC will deploy 30,451 officials to manage the elections. Read Also: Photos: President Tinubu Signs Landmark Tax Reform Bills into Law However, Yakubu clarified that elections will not take place in Khana II constituency in Rivers State due to prevailing security concerns, and in Talata Mafara South in Zamfara State due to pending litigation. INEC will also conduct two pending court-ordered rerun elections in Enugu South I (Enugu State) and Ghari/Tsanyawa (Kano State), which were previously disrupted by violence. These will be held concurrently with the bye-elections on August 16. According to the INEC chairman, political parties are expected to hold their primaries between July 17 and 21. The nomination portal will open on July 22 at 9:00 a.m. and close on July 26 at 6:00 p.m. Campaigns are scheduled to begin on August 2 and end at midnight on August 14.  

In a major move to amend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution will consider proposals for the creation of new states, local government autonomy, and other wide-ranging reforms at its upcoming zonal public hearings scheduled for July 4 and 5, 2025. The committee, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, announced that a total of 31 proposals seeking the creation of new states have been submitted. These proposals will be discussed alongside other constitutional amendment bills during the two-day hearings taking place simultaneously in Lagos (South-West), Enugu (South-East), Ikot Ekpene (South-South), Jos (North-Central), Maiduguri (North-East), and Kano (North-West). In a statement released by Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President, the committee reaffirmed its commitment to citizen engagement on key constitutional matters. According to Mudashir, state creation requests have come from across the six geopolitical zones, including the South-West, South-South, North-Central, North-East, North-West, and South-East. Read Also: Tinubu Hands over ECOWAS Leadership to Sierra Leone’s President Bio The hearings will also focus on critical issues such as local government autonomy, state police, electoral and judicial reforms, fiscal federalism, and inclusive governance. Among the proposals is a bill seeking to entrench local governments as a constitutionally recognized tier of government with guaranteed tenure, as well as another aimed at establishing an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to conduct local government elections. Security is another major theme, with bills proposing the creation of state police forces and state security councils to oversee internal security at the sub-national level. In the area of fiscal reforms, the committee will consider bills aimed at empowering the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to enforce remittance compliance and streamline the revenue allocation process. One proposal seeks to introduce constitutional timelines within which presidents and governors must present appropriation bills to the National or State Assemblies. Efforts to promote gender inclusion are also on the agenda, with a bill proposing additional legislative seats for women in both national and state assemblies. Similarly, proposals have been submitted to establish national, state, and local government councils of traditional rulers to reinforce the role of traditional institutions in governance. Read Also: Barau Jibrin’s Two Years as Deputy Senate President: A Chronicle of Impact Electoral reform features prominently, including bills to legalize independent candidacy at all levels of election and enable Nigerians in the diaspora to vote during general elections. More than 20 proposals on judicial reforms are also under review, with a focus on timelines for delivering judgments and expanding the jurisdiction of election tribunals. Some proposals also aim to devolve certain powers by transferring responsibilities such as labour and shipping from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list, allowing both federal and state governments to legislate on them. The committee has urged Nigerians to take full advantage of the public hearings by participating actively in the process. According to Mudashir, this phase of the constitutional review represents a crucial opportunity for the people to help shape the structure and direction of the nation’s governance framework.