Al-Makura Emerges as Front-Runner to Succeed APC Chairman Ganduje

Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura

Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura, former Governor of Nasarawa State, has reportedly emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dr. Ganduje abruptly resigned on Friday from his position as APC National Chairman. Official government statements attributed his resignation to ill health. However, insider reports suggest that mounting pressure from President Bola Tinubu played a significant role in his decision to step down.

Although the exact details of the purported disagreement between President Tinubu and Ganduje remain unclear, sources indicate that the President privately urged Ganduje to resign by Monday. Ganduje’s decision to tender his resignation earlier than expected reportedly took the Presidency by surprise.

“We were expecting his resignation by Monday. The plan was for him to use the weekend to quietly remove his personal effects from the National Secretariat, away from media attention,” “However, it appears he was displeased with the situation and chose to resign immediately.”a close source revealed.

Investigations by Sunday Vanguard suggest that efforts are now focused on selecting Ganduje’s replacement from the North-Central geopolitical zone, consistent with the party’s original zoning agreement for the chairmanship position.

This development comes in the wake of President Tinubu’s controversial 2023 decision to appoint Ganduje who hails from the North-West zone as APC Chairman following the removal of Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

That appointment bypassed the established zoning convention, drawing criticism from several groups within the North-Central region.

Among the contenders for the top party position is Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura, whose candidacy aligns with calls to restore adherence to zoning principles within the APC.