Political Tsunami: How Ganduje’s Trend is Consuming Opposition: Hon. Mukhtar Unguwar Gini

Political Tsunami: How Ganduje’s Trend is Consuming Opposition — Hon Mukhtar Unguwar Gini

By Hussaini Ibrahim Sulaiman

Since stepping into the role of National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has orchestrated a quiet political revolution within the party, one that is rapidly shifting Nigeria’s political equilibrium. His leadership style — calm, consultative, and deliberate — is credited with reigniting internal unity and luring powerful figures from opposition parties into the APC fold.

Under Ganduje’s watch, a wave of high-profile defections has hit the political landscape. From governors to senators, federal lawmakers to state-level heavyweights, the APC has become a preferred destination for many opposition stalwarts who say they now see hope, stability, and inclusive leadership within the ruling party. Ganduje, in his characteristic low-key fashion, has not celebrated these wins with flamboyance — but his strategy is visibly working.

This remarkable turnaround for the party is not just coincidental. It reflects Ganduje’s deliberate outreach, his decades of experience as a grassroots mobilizer, and his refusal to play divisive politics. Rather than isolating factions, Ganduje has prioritized dialogue, accommodation, and reconciliation — methods which many say are responsible for the current wave of re-alignment in the country’s political terrain.

Hon. Mukhtar Musa Unguwar Gini, the Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to the APC National Chairman, described the developments as unprecedented in the party’s recent history. According to him, the growing number of defectors is a direct result of Ganduje’s political maturity, discipline, and inclusive vision.

“Ganduje is not leading with ego or noise,” Unguwar Gini said. “He is leading with wisdom, with strategic calculation, and with a true desire to build a political institution that is genuinely national. That is what is winning the hearts of opposition members.”

Over the past several months, Nigeria has witnessed major political defections. Among them are governors and former governors who once held significant influence in rival parties. Some senators who previously criticized the APC’s policies have now taken up membership in the ruling party — citing Ganduje’s reconciliatory tone and renewed direction.

In the National Assembly, no fewer than five federal lawmakers from opposition parties have officially defected to the APC. In states like Plateau, Benue, Bauchi, Enugu, and Cross River, politicians who had previously vowed to stay in the opposition now speak of finding “true leadership” within the APC framework. Even in the South-East and South-South, where the APC traditionally struggled, there is renewed momentum.

Interestingly, Ganduje’s emergence as chairman did not come with drama. His appointment was generally seen as a stabilizing move — with party elders, governors, and national figures backing his candidacy to heal lingering wounds within the APC. Since taking the reins, he has maintained a non-confrontational approach, choosing instead to consolidate internal peace before projecting strength outward.

That strategy is yielding political dividends.

What separates Ganduje from many party leaders of the past is his understanding of Nigeria’s complex political and cultural matrix. As a former deputy governor, governor, and seasoned administrator, he brings institutional memory, regional balance, and a consultative spirit to the table.

Observers point to his ability to maintain harmony within Kano State — one of Nigeria’s most politically intense states — as evidence of his capacity to manage diversity and contention. As APC Chairman, he has extended that formula nationally.

Meanwhile, his engagements with former opposition figures have been strategic, not transactional. Multiple reports indicate that defectors are not simply joining for appointments or patronage but are being encouraged to integrate into party structures, strengthen grassroots presence, and contribute to governance ideas.

This method of absorbing new entrants without displacing existing party loyalists has reduced tension within the APC. Where some previous defections created factional crises, Ganduje has ensured that newcomers are well received while older party hands are retained and respected. His balance of loyalty and openness is being cited as a key reason why APC’s ranks continue to grow while the opposition struggles to retain cohesion.

From Abuja to state capitals, the story is consistent: Ganduje’s APC is organized, calm, and forward-thinking.

This new perception is being acknowledged even by those outside the party. A former PDP senator from North-Central Nigeria, who recently joined the APC, told Daily Trust that Ganduje’s non-toxic leadership style played a major role in his decision.

“Many of us were not afraid of APC policies,” he said. “We were afraid of how the party was being run. But now, under Ganduje, there is a new sense of professionalism, fairness, and vision. That’s what pulled me in.”

This sentiment was echoed by a group of youth leaders from the South-East who visited the APC headquarters recently to express their support for the current leadership. They described Ganduje’s administration as “inclusive, mature, and stabilizing.”

Despite these gains, Ganduje has not engaged in public criticism of the party’s immediate past leaders. Instead, he has built upon their foundations, refined processes, and prioritized unity. Party stakeholders say this maturity has insulated the APC from internal explosions that frequently plague large political organizations.

That approach is also helping the APC reposition itself ahead of the 2027 general elections. With increasing signs of disunity in rival parties, the APC is gradually becoming the party of choice for politicians seeking both relevance and refuge.

While challenges still exist — including managing ambitions ahead of party primaries, delivering on federal promises, and coordinating state chapters — the party appears to be regaining lost confidence under Ganduje’s chairmanship.

His allies, including Unguwar Gini, insist that the chairman is not merely managing the party but laying down a legacy of institutional stability and national inclusiveness.

“You can’t talk about today’s APC without acknowledging the quiet leadership of Dr. Ganduje,” Unguwar Gini said. “He doesn’t need to shout. His results speak for him. People are coming, not because of pressure, but because of conviction.”

It is a sentiment now shared in several corners of the country. As defections continue to mount and new political actors take interest in the ruling party, one truth appears to be solidifying: Ganduje’s professional leadership style is not just stabilizing the APC — it is consuming the opposition.