There are a handful of President Tinubu’s loyalists who can be said to be very close to him. Some of them have served him before in one capacity or the other. Some have even known him from way back even before he became governor of Lagos State. They are men who are fiercely loyal to him and who share a very strong relationship with him. But, presently, only very few of them can be said to be as close to the President as the former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Not only does Ganduje share close relationship with the President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he is also regarded as possibly the most powerful northern ally of Mr. President. And indeed Ganduje is. Just a forthnight ago, the former Kano State Governor emerged the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was declared chairman of the party amidst high-wire political intrigues. His emergence was perfected at the National Caucus meeting which took place on Wednesday night at the Presidential Villa, while the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party simply endorsed the caucus recommendations at their meeting in Abuja on Thursday. He replaces the former Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, who was displaced from the seat along with the nationbal secretary, Iyiola Omisore, under very controversial circumstances.
It must be said that, for President Bola Tinubu, this could not have been a more perfect fit for his long time friend and political ally, Abdullahi Ganduje. There is no doubt that the former Kano State Governor would not have emerged the new national chairman of the party if he did not get the full and unflinching approval of the president. But, if truth be told, Asiwaju did not endorse Ganduje as his prefered choice for the APC nationl chairmanship position just because he is his friend, the president endorsed him because of the enormous influence and power he wields within the noirthern region. One of Ganduje’s strengths is the fact that he politically astute and comes highly experienced in the game of politics. He is also a very sharp, intelligent, strong- willed and a trusted ally with enviable leadership qualities. He had just about all the qualities Asiwaju needed in the man who would take over the APC National Chairmanship position from Adamu. But beyond these sterling qualities, the APC national chairman wields enormous influence within and outside Kano State. This is one of the major reasons Mr. President insisted Ganduje had to be the replacement for Adamu.
Just about the period before the 2021 annual colloquium, Governor, Ganduje took Asiwaju by the hand to all the places that matter in Kano. They were with the Emir of Kano and all the Akimis in the suburb of the state, they met with all the youth leaders and market women leaders to secure their loyalty and support for President Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition. And for the very first time, Ganduje pulled Asiwaju out of his comfort zone to celebrate his birthday in the heart of the state of commerce, and also host the annual colloquium in his honour. Kano State also remained one of the powerful K-States that determine who gets what from the presidential elections like we’ve seen in the last 4 elections.
It will be recalled that In March 2022, Asiwaju stormed Kano State with his army of loyalists who are very strong at the federal capital to celebrate his birthday despite protest in some quarters against coming to Kano. Specifically, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) asked Governor Abdullahi Ganduje not to host Tinubu’s birthday in the state. But Ganduje defied their threats and went on with the event as planned and it turned out a huge success.
Asiwaju, expressing his good impression about the leadership style of the former Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in managing and accommodating different ethnic nationalities with love and patriotic posture, the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described the Governor as a “Transformative and reformative leader.”
He was physically moved by the many encomiums showered on governor Ganduje, on how he handles all issues related to all Nigerians residing in Kano, irrespective of ethnic or religious differences. The pairing of the two powerful leaders indeed formed a formidable force in the presidential election. Although Rabiu Kwankwaso beat President Tinubu in Kano, but Ganduje’s massive support for Tinubu was still strong enough to garner votes that gave Kwankwaso a good run for his money. He came second in Kano after Kwankwaso.
Ganduje’s loyalty is also one of the reasons Asiwaju insisted he wanted Ganduje as the APC National Chairman. He needed a man he had implicit trust in to occupy the exalted seat. Tinubu knew he could count on him come rain, come shine. In the last couple of months, and even before the presidential election, hardly will there be a story on Asiwaju’s political exploits in the north that will not include the name of Ganduje. And for Ganduje, all his close friends already know that with him, it is either you’re for Tinubu or against him. And if you’re against Tinubu, you cannot be Ganduje’s friend. It won’t work. That is how fierce his loyalty to President Tinubu is. He never hides his emotion about his friend, the president whom he supported with every blood in his vein during the last presidential election. Everything about him, his utterances, his body language, often tilt towards the support of Asiwaju’s government.
That Ganduje was critical to Tinubu’s mammoth votes in the north and his eventual emergence as president cannot be over emphasised. But most importantly, he was instrumental to Asiwaju winning the APC primary. He, along with other northern APC governors stormed the Aso Villa to confront former President Nuhari on the issue of who his anointed candidate was. He was also part of the group that stormed former National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu’s house to confront him on same issue. Indeed, on the premise of loyalty alone, he has earned the right to occupy the post he currently occupies.
Ganduje is also a seasoned politician that is regarded as fearless. He is embroiled in a cold war with his erstwhile boss, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP. It was reported weeks ago that both men nearly ran into each other at Aso villa with Ganduje fuming and threatening to slap Kwankwaso if he had met him anywhere within the villa. Juast days ago, he was asked why Kwankwaso’s name was missing on the ministerial list, he said: “It is true that President Tinubu has promised to run a unity government, and he stood by his words. Nyesom Wike, from PDP, is now a Minister nominee. But he [Kwankwaso] is the one who said he will be given appointment initially, and not the President himself,”
“Nobody will say Kwankwaso is not a good politician, at least he was a two-term Kano Governor, although, in disrupted tenures, he was Minister of Defence, even though he doesn’t know what is defense, and was once a Senator, even though he never said anything throughout his stay there. But, if he is willing to decamp to APC, our door is open, especially now that someone from his state is the party, Chairman, it will be easier for him to lobby.”
It was clear that Ganduje was being sarcastic about the Kwankwaso matter. He was obviously mocking the gentleman. Real reason why Kwankwaso didn’t make the ministerial list came to the fore days ago. The Director of Publicity for the APC, Bala Ibrahim, expounded on the party’s perspective, asserting that the recent criticisms of Ganduje’s tenure in Kano State by Governor Abba Yusuf of the NNPP and Kwankwaso’s political protege might have swayed Tinubu’s decision against appointing Kwankwaso as a Minister.
Ibrahim offered his viewpoint, stating, “Kwankwaso holds a significant position in Kano’s political landscape. However, the questionable methods employed by his Kwankwasiyya movement have resulted in a gradual erosion of support for him. The movement’s disruptive influence on Kano’s political scene, and by extension, Nigeria’s, cannot be overlooked.”
He continued, “The President, taking into account public sentiment and the effective implementation of his policies, especially his efforts to secure Kano’s allegiance, likely gauged the situation. Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje’s astute political acumen and experience in Kano politics are unparalleled. When you balance the two on a calibrated scale, Ganduje’s political influence far outweighs Kwankwaso’s.”
What Bala Ibrahim has shown with his comments is the incredible influence Ganduje wields within the APC. This is why the President wanted him to be the party’s national chairman. And it must be said that it was also Ganduje who stopped Maryam Shetty from becoming a minister. Speaking in an interview on Freedom Radio, Ganduje alleged that Shetty’s name was smuggled into the 19-man ministerial list, adding that her nomination caused an upset among Kano residents, who questioned her competency for the job,
“But what happened in this case is that we were not consulted. So we just heard her name on air. Initially, we didn’t complain, taking into consideration that Mr President has the right to appoint anyone. And as loyalists of the president who understand democracy, we accepted his choice. “But again, we don’t know her, and since we don’t know her, we can’t vouch for her competency for the job
Ganduje has proven beyond doubts that he is more than capable to occupy the position of national chairman which he currently occupies. With him at the helm of affairs, the president can go to sleep. He is a trusted ally in whom the Mr. President is well pleased.
– WALE LAWAL
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