After Ganduje’s Exit, North-Central APC Roars — ‘It’s Our Turn To Lead

The North-Central APC Forum has reignited its demand for the National Chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be returned to the region, following the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje from the role.

Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State in the North-West, stepped down on Friday, citing health-related issues.

In a statement released in Abuja on Saturday, the Chairman of the Forum, Saleh Zazzaga, described Ganduje’s exit as a “golden opportunity” for the party to correct what he called a “zoning injustice” inflicted on the North-Central after Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s departure.

Zazzaga, who was a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council during the 2023 elections, explained that the region had earlier chosen not to oppose Ganduje’s appointment for the sake of party unity.

He said, “The North-Central APC Forum has always maintained its stance on respecting the party’s zoning arrangement, which originally assigned the chairmanship to our region.

“Although we had argued that the North-Central should be allowed to complete Senator Adamu’s tenure, we put our campaign on hold when the NEC approved Ganduje’s leadership—solely in the spirit of unity and appreciation of his capabilities.”

According to the forum, Ganduje’s resignation now presents a chance to restore balance within the party’s leadership structure.

“His stepping down gives the APC an opportunity to promote fairness by returning the chairmanship to the North-Central,” Zazzaga said.

He commended Ganduje’s efforts while in office, highlighting his role in attracting influential defectors—including governors from Delta and Akwa Ibom States—into the APC.

The forum called on President Bola Tinubu to support their demand and urged Acting National Chairman Ali Dalori to quickly convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to elect a substantive chairman from the North-Central.

Zazzaga emphasized that the demand stems not from entitlement, but from the region’s proven leadership capacity and its readiness to help secure victory for the APC in the 2027 general elections.