The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reconciliation Committee and former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has issued a cautionary note that the party could still witness further defections, even as internal efforts to stabilize and reposition it continue ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Saraki acknowledged the turbulence within the PDP and hinted at more political shifts on the horizon.

“PDP would likely see one or two more defections, and we should prepare ourselves for that; there is a possibility,” he said.

“We haven’t seen the worst of the defections for PDP. We would probably see maybe one or two governors who will defect, and we might see some senators who will defect,” Saraki added.

Despite these looming challenges, he expressed optimism, arguing that the timing of the crisis presents a rare opportunity for the party to reorganize and emerge stronger.

“For some of us, this happening early in PDP is an advantage. We are lucky that this is not happening, let’s say, late 2026; we would not even have had time to recover and regroup,” he stated.

“We have just under two years to the election, and we are lucky to have that. I think, with a lot of commitment and understanding, it is not a lost cause.”

Saraki emphasized the PDP’s resilience, pointing to its long-standing presence in Nigeria’s political landscape.

“A party with over 26 years of history that has been around, the largest party, we will definitely have low times like this.”

He also highlighted the party’s enduring strength at the grassroots level, suggesting that local party structures remain largely unaffected by the national crisis.

“When you go round the country, the state chapters, the local government chapters, the party is still very strong in the grassroots. In some areas in the country, they are not even aware of what is happening at our level, in Abuja,” he said.

According to Saraki, the reactions from the grassroots have been reassuring and could serve as a foundation for rebuilding.

“The reactions we are seeing at the grassroots give us a lot of encouragement. But what we need to do is to get to the bottom and start to build.”

Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of transforming the PDP’s internal culture and preparing for the future.

“This is not just about resolving today’s issues. It’s about building for the future. The next convention must not be business as usual. We must bring in new, younger faces who represent the future of this party.”

He concluded with a warning on the broader implications of a weakened opposition, stating, “If PDP fails, Nigeria edges closer to a one-party state. And that would be a disaster for democracy.”

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday laid his late uncle to rest in his hometown of Rumuepirikom, located in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The funeral ceremony drew notable political figures, including the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the suspended Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule.

Other dignitaries and well-wishers were also in attendance.

Their joint presence at the event comes amid continued efforts to resolve the political tensions that have gripped Rivers State in recent months.

The gathering, though somber, has sparked public interest due to the underlying political implications, given the strained relationships among key players in the state’s leadership.

Former Kano State governor and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has reportedly resigned from his position, a move sources say was less about health and more about high-level political strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While Ganduje cited health reasons in his resignation letter tendered on Friday, insiders say his exit was the culmination of growing political pressure and strategic maneuvers within the ruling party.

According to sources who spoke with DAILY GAZETTE, Ganduje’s resignation was anything but voluntary.

Around 2:00 AM on Friday, a high-ranking security official allegedly visited his residence to collect his resignation letter, a visit that sent shockwaves through his political circle.

“It came out of nowhere,” one of Ganduje’s close associates revealed. “Even his inner circle was taken by surprise.”

Later that day, Ganduje was seen performing what appeared to be his final official duty as APC chairman, leading members of the National Working Committee (NWC) on a condolence visit to Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago over recent floods and attacks in the state.

Key to Ganduje’s sudden exit is believed to be the anticipated return of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to the APC.

The leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and a key political figure in northern Nigeria is said to have laid down a firm condition for his return: Ganduje must go.

With talks intensifying between Kwankwaso and a coalition of opposition leaders led by Atiku Abubakar, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly acted swiftly to eliminate the barrier preventing Kwankwaso’s homecoming — Ganduje’s leadership.

“Tinubu was informed that Kwankwaso was seriously considering the Atiku-led opposition alliance,” a source said. “That was a red line.”

Ganduje’s chairmanship, which began in 2023 following the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, also faced internal resistance from North Central stakeholders.

Adamu, who hails from Nasarawa, was edged out after reportedly opposing Tinubu during the APC primaries.

Since then, voices from the North Central zone have consistently demanded that the party chairmanship be returned to their region.

With Ganduje coming from the North West, critics viewed his leadership as a continuation of regional imbalance.

Now, attention has turned to potential North Central replacements including:

Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura – ex-Nasarawa governor and CPC legacy figure,

Senator George Akume – current Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),

Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (313) – Niger East senator and former chairmanship aspirant.

However, analysts say each contender may face complications due to APC governors already controlling their states, making them unlikely to yield state party machinery to new national figures.

Following Ganduje’s exit, Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Abubakar Kyari Dalori, is expected to step in as Acting National Chairman pending a formal decision at the APC national convention scheduled for November 2025.

Speaking to Daily Trust, APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said:

“If the resignation is confirmed, the deputy chairman from the same region, in this case, Dalori will constitutionally assume leadership in acting capacity.”

An emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting is reportedly in the works to ratify the interim leadership and discuss broader party strategy.

Since its formation in 2013, the APC has seen a revolving door of national chairmen, most of whom left under controversial circumstances:

Bisi Akande (2013–2014)

John Odigie-Oyegun (2014–2018)

Adams Oshiomhole (2018–2020) – ousted by NEC over internal divisions

Mai Mala Buni (2020–2022) – led a prolonged caretaker committee

Abdullahi Adamu (2022–2023) – resigned amid post-election tension

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (2023–2025) – resigned under political pressure

The trend reflects ongoing internal power struggles, regional rivalries, and the challenges of managing a complex national coalition ahead of each election cycle.

Ganduje’s resignation is more than a personnel change, it signals the beginning of a major internal realignment within the APC as it prepares for a fiercely contested 2027 election.

As new alliances form and old rivalries resurface, the choice of the next party leader will be pivotal.

By Godswill Eketabubu

The above caption may seem unusual given the well-publicized succession of political problems that have afflicted the PDP since 2015, problems that were further exacerbated during the 2023 presidential election cycle.

Yet, as grave as these political maladies may appear, they currently pale into relative insignificance when compared to the complex legal challenge the party is now facing.

My theory is simple: tackle and resolve this knotty legal challenge, and the party’s political pathologies will begin to dissipate rapidly.

Ignore it, throw it under the bus, or address it half-heartedly, and the envisaged political solution being canvassed will only bring temporary relief.

PDP’s 2023 Political Wahala

The magnitude of the political crises that crippled the PDP during the 2023 presidential election season is well known.

From the party’s ambiguous stance on zoning the presidential ticket, to the refusal of then-National Chairman Dr. Iyorcha Ayu to resign, and the open rebellion led by Nyesom Wike and the G-5 Governors, the party’s fate was quickly sealed.

Its perennial candidate, Atiku Abubakar, lost the presidential election; Wike landed the top job as President Bola Tinubu’s Minister of the FCT; and a vicious political war was unleashed at the heart of the party’s ability to function as a coherent political apparatus.

Those aggrieved by the party’s actions in 2023 resolved to exact revenge. To achieve this, the party must be taught a lesson, one painful enough to break it into many pieces before 2027, thus paving the way for President Tinubu’s leisurely return to office.

At this stage, the driving force in the party’s persistent crises is political contestation: Who controls the party’s machinery? Who determines its direction? What purpose will it serve? There are three major forces in this rofo-rofo:

1. Those insisting that the party must remain autonomous and free from external control so it can wage and possibly win the 2027 political battle;

2. Those who want the party to be tied to the apron strings of President Tinubu and the ruling APC;

3. And those who neither want the party to be strong and united because “they have no portion in it again,” nor want Tinubu to have anything to do with it.

Without a shadow of doubt, the Governor of Bauchi State and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Sen. Bala Mohammed, best exemplifies the first tendency.

He has recently been joined by the Acting National Chairman of the party, Amb. Illiya Damagun, whose loyalty to the party was initially seen as questionable.

PDP Lands Itself in a Legal Quagmire

The political noise was so loud that scant attention was paid to the legal challenge that crept into the party’s core: the epic battle over the National Secretary position.

Why is this struggle existential for the party? Not just because of the perception of institutional disorder, but because unless it is resolved, the party’s future is in grave danger.

The situation is straightforward: three claimants are vying for the position—

The elected National Secretary, Sen. SamDaddy Anyanwu;

Comrade Ude Okoye, nominated by the South East Caucus after Anyanwu contested the Imo State governorship;

Setonji Kosheodo, Deputy National Secretary, who emerged as Acting National Secretary to mediate between the two.

Any party member or leader who fails to recognize the centrality of this legal tussle to the party’s survival is either being mischievous or is downright clueless and politically naïve.

If resolved quickly, the party can convene a valid NEC, ratify legally sound appointments and zoning committees, hold a lawful National Convention to elect a new NWC, and in 2026, conduct presidential primaries to produce its candidate for the 2027 general elections.

However, if the party mishandles the National Secretary position, by retaining the wrong person, and proceeds with those processes, it will suffer the same fate as the APC in Zamfara in 2019.

This won’t just affect off-season elections, but will legally undermine all PDP candidates in the 2027 general elections, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and state assemblies alike. Period.

INEC Holds the Ace in Resolving PDP’s Legal Problem

Many have argued that it’s improper for the party to seek INEC’s intervention, or that INEC should not interfere or summon its leaders to a meeting.

Some insist that the June 30th NEC meeting is sacrosanct and must hold, and that Sen. Anyanwu can never return as National Secretary.

While it’s understandable that people want to vent, reality must be approached rationally, not emotionally. Only through deliberate, logical action can the party escape this quagmire.

In Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, especially under its multiparty system, INEC is the Alpha and Omega. As uncomfortable as this may sound, it’s true.

As a regulator, INEC has powers that few people fully understand. Its legal team is formidable, given the volume of litigation it faces daily.

I would trust INEC’s interpretation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the National Secretary issue over that of 100 SANs combined!

INEC has spoken. As regrettable and odious as that may seem to some, its stance is final. If the PDP acts otherwise, trust me, it will mark the beginning of its end, especially if it manages to dethrone President Tinubu.

So, what is INEC’s position?

The June 30 NEC meeting was illegally convened and cannot hold;

The National Secretary was supposed to co-sign the notice with the Acting National Chairman;

Sen. Anyanwu remains the valid National Secretary until the next elective convention;

Any attempt to sidestep this will result in legal catastrophe.

Even if INEC hasn’t said all this in a press conference, a visit to its records makes this position abundantly clear.

Gov. Bala Mohammed’s Rescue Mission

Gov. Bala Mohammed seems to have understood this reality. His relentless efforts, hosting countless meetings, pushing for compromise, show his commitment to rescuing the party.

He appears to have realized that Sen. Anyanwu’s refusal to resign after becoming a gubernatorial candidate or the friends he keeps are irrelevant in this context. What matters is legal compliance, not emotional sentiment.

The Acting National Chairman, Amb. Damagun, seems to share this perspective, as seen in the postponement of the June 30 NEC and the move to reinstate Sen. Anyanwu.

Sen. Bukola Saraki, Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee, also appears to be working toward this sound outcome.

My appeal to all PDP members, sympathizers like myself, and lovers of multiparty democracy, under pressure from a frightened APC and an ambitious presidency, is to rally around these efforts.

If someone like Gov. Bala Mohammed were to turn his back on the party now, one wonders what would become of it.

Rather than vilify him or others, party faithful should support the urgent mission of pulling the PDP from the jaws of APC sharks.

Plea To South East Party Leaders

To the South East leaders of the party, particularly the dynamic Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Sen. Adolphus Wabara, BOT Chairman, I appeal to you as a neighbour from the South-South and long-time PDP sympathizer: calm down.

Rise above your righteous anger over Anyanwu’s perceived betrayal and let peace reign. You cannot destroy what you helped build.

You cannot win this case in INEC’s eyes, and INEC’s eyes are the law in this instance. It may sound harsh and defeatist, but it’s the truth. Unless you have other reasons to leave the party, it should not be over Sen. Anyanwu, whose tenure lapses in November.

What good will it do to burn it all down when all that’s needed is patience for three or four months? Demand that the party rezone the position to the South East at the next convention and put your preferred candidate there for a full four-year term.

South East leaders have everything to gain by cooperating with Damagun and Gov. Bala Mohammed to finally resolve the National Secretary issue, abandon the illusion of a June 30 NEC meeting, and reframe that gathering as an Expanded National Caucus.

There, the date for a legitimate NEC and the National Convention can be decided.

To do otherwise is to hand victory to the party’s enemies—and contribute to its eventual ruin.

Dr. Eketabubu wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, the Deputy National Chairman (North), has stepped in as Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the unexpected health‑related resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka announced in Abuja last night that President Bola Tinubu personally directed Dalori to assume the position “pending the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party … to fill the vacancy created by the resignation.”

Dr. Ganduje, who had served as National Chairman for 22 months, tendered his resignation to the National Working Committee (NWC) via National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru.

In his resignation letter, he cited urgent personal matters and expressed gratitude to President Tinubu “for the opportunity to serve the Party at the highest level.”

Morka praised Ganduje’s tenure, noting he “dedicated himself to strengthening Party unity and cohesion, expounding its democratic ideals, and enhancing the Party’s electoral competitiveness.”

According to him, the NEC and National Caucus meetings in February 2025 had bestowed “a profound recognition and honour for his service.”

Morka reiterated that other NWC members remain unaffected by the change in leadership.

He confirmed that NEC will convene immediately to appoint a substantive National Chairman, with the next National Convention scheduled for December, where a permanent appointment is expected.

A party insider speculated,

“My own suspicion is that the resignation may be a fallout of what happened at the Gombe meeting of APC North East.”

At that gathering, delegates disrupted proceedings after the omission of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s name during the endorsement for President Tinubu’s second term.

Inside the national headquarters at Muhammadu Buhari House, staff and party members were reportedly shocked by Ganduje’s resignation.

Personal effects belonging to the former Chair and his aides have been removed from his office, while calls to other NWC members regarding the shake‑up were reportedly met with denial of any broader impact.

A source clarified,

“It is only the National Chairman that is affected. All other members of the NWC are to carry on in their positions.”

Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, formerly the APC Chairman in Borno State, ascended to the role of Deputy National Chairman (North) after Senator Abubakar Kyari’s appointment as Agriculture Minister.

A notable ally of Vice President Shettima, Dalori is a seasoned politician, having served five terms as a local government chairman, two terms in the Borno State House of Assembly, and on the board of the Nigeria Railway Corporation.

Under Article 14.2(iii) of the APC Constitution:

“The Deputy National Chairman shall act as National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone.”

Dalori becomes the sixth national chairman of the APC, following in the footsteps of Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu.

The party reaffirmed its focus on delivering transformative governance under President Tinubu’s “Hope Agenda.”

The NWC also commended Ganduje for his contributions and wished him well in his future endeavors.