In a surprising twist of political fate, former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has made a magnanimous plea to his ex-boss, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, urging him to return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking candidly during a media chat in Kano, Ganduje expressed his desire for Kwankwaso to rejoin the APC fold, now that he has assumed the mantle of the party’s National Chairman.
Ganduje’s recent election as the new National Chairman of APC was confirmed during the 12th APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the prestigious Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
Praising Kwankwaso’s political prowess, Ganduje acknowledged, “Nobody will say Kwankwaso is not a good politician, at least he served as a two-term Kano Governor and held significant positions like Minister of Defence and Senator.” Yet, he couldn’t resist a gentle jibe, playfully remarking on Kwankwaso’s taciturn nature during his tenure as a Senator.
Ever the diplomat, Ganduje extended an open invitation, saying, “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.”
The media chat also touched on the absence of Kwankwaso’s name among President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees. Ganduje clarified that the appointment matter was initially raised by Kwankwaso himself and not President Tinubu. He reminded everyone that President Tinubu had promised to run a unity government, evident in the inclusion of Nyesom Wike from PDP as a Minister nominee.
Ganduje and Kwankwaso share a political history, with Ganduje serving as the Deputy during Kwankwaso’s tenures as Kano Governor from 1999-2003 and between 2011-2015.
Meanwhile, Kwankwaso had taken the bold step of contesting as the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general election.
As the political landscape continues to shift, all eyes are on Kwankwaso to see whether he’ll heed Ganduje’s call and embark on a path of potential reconciliation and new opportunities within the APC. The ball is now in Kwankwaso’s court, and the political world eagerly awaits his next move.