Why He Needs GANDUJE To Be APC Chairman
It is no longer news that the former Governor of Kano State, Abdulahi Ganduje, has 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 National 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.
President Tinubu and his friend, Abdullahi Ganduje, have both come a long way together. Their friendship didn’t just today, they have been friends long before Ganduje became governor of Kano State.
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 aqgainst 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.
Political observers have traced the friendship between these powerful stakeholders back to as far back as around 2010. But their friendship got tighter than ever before in 2018 when the Kano Governor was enmeshed in corruption allegation. A video of the governor collecting a huge sum and putting it in his Baba Riga emerged online and it went viral on social media. This video put a question mark on his hard-earned integrity, to speak less of the fact that he was contesting for his second term. His handlers struggled to convince Nigerians and the people of Kano State that the video was doctored, but no one wants to believe it.
In the early days of 2019, Ganduje became a regular visitor of Lagos State, and suddenly became a political right-hand man of Asiwaju. In a matter of weeks before Ganduje’s second term elections, the matter died a natural death and Ganduje became the strong political force he used to be.
There were, however, speculations that he was able to wriggle out of the bribery mess, because Asiwaju stepped in and pushed all the right buttons on his behalf. It was also argued that Aswiaju was the brain behind the political calculation that ushered Ganduje into the office for the second term.
Two years before, Ganduje kept his friendship circle so little and the only southern ally he had, apart from Asiwaju, was the late Ibadan Governor and lawmaker, Abiola Ajimobi.
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 ahead of 2023.
Ganduje emerged as governor for the second term under a very intense condition in, and has moved on to create a formidable political a structure that has made him a phenomenon to consider in any political permutations. 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,
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.
Pundits who are following the unfolding political calculations believe that the relationship between the power brokers has become a huge threat to northern forces that may not want Asiwaju to enjoy a steady and smooth governance of the country. Having two phenomenal political radicals in one camp spells doom for whoever is pulling the strings from the outside, and the opposition is not comfortable with this.
No doubt about it, Ganduje has been extremely ecstatic with his emergence as the new national chairman of the ruling party. It is a big deal. It is a very powerful and influential position. He is happy with his friend, President Bola Tinubu. It is a well deserved reward for his unflinching support and fierce loyalty to his friend and ally, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmned Tinubu.
– WALE LAWAL
