Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has resigned as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with immediate effect.

Ganduje, who previously served as the Governor of Kano State from 2015 to 2023, cited health reasons for his resignation, stating the need to focus on his personal well-being.

His tenure as APC chairman, which began in August 2023, was riddled with internal party crises, legal disputes, and allegations of financial misconduct.

While his resignation letter attributed the move solely to health concerns, party insiders suggest rising political tension and internal opposition may have influenced his decision.

There have also been reports linking his exit to accusations of financial impropriety.

Some party members allegedly protested against what they described as “excessive financial demands” from his office—particularly over complaints by aspirants for FCT area council positions about the high fees required to secure party tickets.

Ganduje’s leadership faced multiple legal challenges. In April 2024, a Kano State High Court issued an ex parte order barring him from identifying as a party member, following a suit filed by some APC officials.

Although a separate suit filed by the APC North Central Forum seeking his removal was later dismissed by a Federal High Court in Abuja, his position remained contentious.

As the APC is yet to issue an official statement, speculation continues to mount over the true circumstances of Ganduje’s departure and its potential implications for the party’s future direction.

Top Nigerian political institutions have jointly endorsed the Reserved Seats for Women Bill through a landmark communiqué.

The bill, a constitutional proposal seeking to increase female representation at all levels of Nigeria’s legislature, is expected to be passed by December 2025.

In a communique, signed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (who also chairs the Constitution Review Committee), the Nigeria Governors Forum, the Governors Spouses Forum, and the TOS Foundation, reaffirms high-level political commitment to gender inclusion and urges the National Assembly to pass the bill as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

The Reserved Seats for Women Bill seeks to guarantee women a minimum number of seats in the federal and state legislatures.

Public hearings are expected to commence next week.

Advocates say this visible alignment is a turning point in Nigeria’s journey toward inclusive governance.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says that democracy on the African continent is being reduced to ‘monetocracy’, a system where money determines leadership .

Obasanjo spoke on the state of the continent during the 32nd annual general meeting of Afreximbank in Abuja, yesterday.

Obasanjo criticised the winner-takes-all mentality that leaves opposition parties disenfranchised and democratic processes hollow.

Obasanjo: Time to roar is now, Africa’s sleeping giants must drive own growth By : Helen Oji Date: 27 Jun 2025Share :ObasanjoObasanjoFormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has blamed Africa’s over reliance on foreign aid, poor leadership, corruption, and a flawed democratic system for the continent’s lack of progress.Speaking on the state of the continent at the 32nd Annual Meeting of Afreximbank in Abuja yesterday,

Obasanjo said that Africa’s so-called ‘lions’, its most populous and resource-rich countries have failed to achieve meaningful growth weighed down by systemic inefficiencies and misguided governance.

” Nations like Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa ought to be leading the continent’s development charge given their demographic, resource, or economic strengths. Instead, these countries have continued to record retarded growth.”

While Egypt has made notable progress, he lamented that the others have either regressed or stagnated over the past three decades, often taking two steps forward and one step back.

He described these nations as ‘lions’ that are not moving economically or politically enough to uplift smaller or less endowed African states.

He argued that Nigeria, in particular has immense potential but remains shackled by corruption, ignorance, and a persistent dependence on foreign assistance.