Ganduje assumes office as Chairman of FAAN

Abdullahi Ganduje, on Wednesday assumed office as the Chairman of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), few days after quitting his position as National Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

President Bola Tinubu had appointed him as Chairman of FAAN on January 24, about six months ago, alongside 42 other Nigerians heading boards of federal government parastatals.

The assumption of office followed the Inauguration of the FAAN board on Wednesday.

The President also appointed board chairpersons for 42 federal organisations and a secretary to the board of the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Prisons Services.

The President had also appointed a new managing director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a director-general for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), on the same day.

The board members were barred by the President from interfering with the management of the organisations, emphasising that their positions are non-executive.

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Bayo Onanuga, Presidential Spokesman, had disclosed that their appointments were with immediate effect.

But Ganduje had on the 28th of June, resigned from his position as National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, citing ” the need to attend to personal matters” as the reason for his resignation

Felix Morka, the party’s National Publicity Secretary NPS, in a statement, said the President, while wishing him well, directed the appointment of Bukar Dalori as the party’s acting National Chairman

Morka also said the resignation is effective immediately, adding that ” it was offered to enable him attend to urgent and important personal matters.”

“In his letter of resignation addressed to the National Working Committee (NWC) through the National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, Ganduje expressed gratitude to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the opportunity to serve the Party at the highest level.

“The President has directed the Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, to assume the position of Acting National Chairman, pending the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party that is being summoned immediately to fill the vacancy created by the resignation.”

Ganduje had assumed leadership of the Party in August 2023, following the resignation of his predecessor, Abdullahi Adamu.

“Throughout his tenure, he dedicated himself to strengthening Party unity and cohesion, expounding its democratic ideals, and enhancing the Party’s electoral competitiveness.

” The confidence placed in him by the Party’s NEC and National Caucus meetings in February 2025 was a profound recognition and honour for his service.

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“He leaves his position as National Chairman with great pride in our collective achievements, including successful defections from opposition parties and legal affirmations of our leadership’s legitimacy.

“We assure all party faithful that our Party remains steadfast and unwavering in our mission to deliver transformative governance for all Nigerians, in line with President Tinubu’s renewed Hope Agenda.

Morka said the National Working Committee (NWC) has also extended its gratitude to Ganduje for his invaluable contributions and distinguished record of service to our great Party.

BusinessDay gathered that Ganduje was initially offered an ambassadorial job.

It is not clear if he has accepted the offer.

It was also gathered that his resignation is to fast-track Rabiu Kwankwaso’s entrance to the party and the collapse of his Nigeria National People’s Party (NNPP) into the APC.