The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, has officially confirmed the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Mr. Morka, in a statement on Friday night, said that Ganduje’s resignation — effective immediately — was to allow him attend to “urgent and important personal matters.”
“In line with the party’s constitution, our Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Dalori, has been directed to assume the position of acting national chairman pending the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled for December,” Mr. Morka announced.
This, he said, was to ensure seamless leadership following Ganduje’s departure.
The former national chairman, who took over APC’s leadership in August 2023 after Abdullahi Adamu’s resignation, was praised for his contributions during his tenure.
“Throughout his tenure, he dedicated himself to strengthening the party’s unity and cohesion, expounding its democratic ideals and enhancing the party’s electoral competitiveness.
The confidence placed in him by the party’s NEC and national caucus meetings in February 2025 was a profound recognition and honour for his service.
He leaves his position as national chairman with great pride in our collective achievements, including successful defections from opposition parties and legal affirmations of our party leadership’s legitimacy,” Mr. Morka stated.
He reassured party members that APC remained “steadfast and unwavering in its mission to deliver transformative governance for all Nigerians, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Dalori’s appointment aligns with Section 14(2)(iii) of the APC constitution, which stipulates that in the event of a chairman’s absence or exit from office, the deputy national chairman from the same zone shall act in that capacity.
Mr. Ganduje is from Kano State in the northern zone, while Mr. Dalori, from Borno State, also represents the northern zone.
Mr. Dalori, who became deputy national chairman (North) in August 2023 after Abubakar Kyari’s appointment as Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, is expected to hold the acting role until the next national convention.
Before joining the National Working Committee, Dalori served as APC chairman in Borno State, where he earned grassroots support across the North-East.
Mr. Ganduje, who joined APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is the sixth national chairman of APC since its formation in 2013 after a merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The party’s first interim chairman was former Osun governor Bisi Akande, succeeded by former Edo governor John Oyegun, then by Adams Oshiomhole. Following Oshiomhole’s controversial exit, Yobe governor Mala Buni led as caretaker chairman before Abdullahi Adamu’s tenure and subsequently Ganduje’s.
