Abdullahi Ganduje’s July 27 resignation shakes Nigeria’s ruling APC. Kano factions jostle for control as Kwankwasiyya talks of alliance ahead of 2027 elections.
The sudden resignation of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, 27 July 2025 has triggered an intense realignment of political forces—both in Abuja and in his home state of Kano.
Ganduje stepped down after months of internal pressure. Creates a leadership vacuum at APC national level.
Kano APC now split into rival blocs seeking dominance. State delegates will decide who controls the grassroots machinery.
Kwankwasiyya Movement (NNPP) signals interest in strategic partnership with the federal government. Could reshape 2027 presidential and gubernatorial calculations.
Analysts warn old Ganduje-Kwankwaso feud remains unresolved. Reconciliation—or lack of it—will define Kano’s electoral map.
Bayero University Kano political-science lecturer predicts the Kwankwasiyya Movement—led by former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—may pivot toward cooperation with the Federal Government.
Ganduje loyalists are split; some welcome rapprochement for stability, others oppose any deal with long-time rival Kwankwaso.
Focus on 2027: Both camps see Kano’s 5.9 million registered voters as decisive in the next general election.
Factional jockeying: Local APC stakeholders are hastily forming alliances to fill the gap left by the ex-governor’s exit from the national office.
Expert Insight
> “If Ganduje’s supporters and Kwankwasiyya can negotiate a power-sharing formula, Kano could deliver a unified bloc in 2027,”
— Dr. Nasiru Bello, Political Analyst, BUK.
Yet deep-seated mistrust between the two former governors may still derail talks, leaving Kano’s political landscape fragmented.
What to Watch
1. APC National Convention date—will a consensus chair emerge or will factions dig in?
2. Kano State APC primaries—indicator of which bloc controls the grassroots.
3. NNPP strategy—whether Kwankwasiyya formalises any deal with federal authorities.
4. Electoral Act compliance—INEC timelines could force rapid coalition decisions.
Ganduje’s resignation has opened a high-stakes scramble for influence. Whether Kano’s rival power centers can bridge old rivalries—or deepen them—will shape both state politics and Nigeria’s 2027 electoral map.
