Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, immediate past National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Friday dismissed reports linking him to a planned defection to the New Democratic Congress (NDC), saying he remains loyal to the party.
In a statement issued by his Chief of Staff and former Kano State Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, Ganduje described social media posters suggesting a move to the NDC as “false and politically motivated”.
“I am not a nomadic politician who moves from one party to another for political convenience,” the statement quoted Ganduje as saying. “Dr. Ganduje has remained consistent in his political convictions and has never contemplated leaving the APC, a party he served as its National Chairman.”
The statement said the viral posters were a deliberate campaign of misinformation intended to create anxiety among APC members and fuel speculation. It added that claims of a defection lacked both political and logical basis.
Ganduje reaffirmed his commitment to the APC, describing it as Nigeria’s largest political platform and saying it continues to gain ground under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”.
He attributed the materials to “desperate political mischief-makers” seeking to tarnish his reputation and destabilise the ruling party. The individuals responsible had been identified, he said, and would face legal action unless they withdrew the defamatory posters and ceased further circulation.
“Those responsible for producing and circulating the fake posters have been identified, and unless they immediately withdraw the defamatory materials and cease further dissemination, appropriate legal action will be taken against them,” the statement warned.
Ganduje urged APC members and the public to disregard the posters, saying they did not reflect his position or future intentions.