The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has taken a swipe at the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that the so-called “largest party in Africa” is now struggling for relevance.

Ganduje made this statement while delivering a keynote address at the APC National Summit held on Thursday in Abuja.

“As I stand before you, I stress this truth: We cannot go into the future divided, unprepared, or reactive. The challenges facing our nation require a cohesive, disciplined, and ideologically sound party,” Ganduje said.

According to him, the APC is undergoing critical internal reforms aimed at restructuring and modernizing the party to better deliver governance and development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said: “We have been working on critical reforms to restructure and modernize our great party — the APC. A strong party is the vehicle through which lasting governance is delivered.”

The chairman reiterated the party’s commitment to unity, clarity of purpose, and hard work, stating that these elements are essential for victory in 2027 and beyond.

Highlighting the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Ganduje pointed to economic reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidies, the unification of the foreign exchange market, and interventions in agriculture and infrastructure. He described these as “bold steps” to reposition Nigeria for inclusive growth and long-term sustainability.

“Several short-term economic interventions have also been implemented to mitigate the initial hardships caused by these reforms, and Nigerians have begun to experience some immediate benefits,” he added.

On the party’s political strength, Ganduje stated that APC continues to dominate across various levels of government and has attracted numerous high-profile defectors.

“We are not just winning elections; we are shaping Nigeria’s political destiny,” he said. “Today, the opposition, especially the PDP, is gasping for breath. Leadership crises, lack of ideology, and serial defections have reduced it to a shadow of its former self.”

He announced that the party had recently welcomed new members, including the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori; Senator Ned Nwoko; former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; and virtually all Delta legislators at the state and national levels.

Also joining the APC, he said, were Senator Kabiru Gaya (Kano South), Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, Senator Garba Maidoki, and Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), along with over 30,000 PDP members in the FCT.

“This is a clear testament to our growing appeal. The FCT, once an opposition stronghold, is now tilting in favor of our great party,” Ganduje stated.

He concluded by reaffirming the party’s openness to new members but stressed that the APC would not compromise its founding progressive ideals.

“Our doors remain open, but we will not compromise on upholding the progressive ideals on which this great party was founded,” he said.