Ganduje Explains Absence During Tinubu’s Visit to Kano

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has explained his absence during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Kano State, citing a prior personal engagement in London as the reason he could not attend. Ganduje, who resigned from his position as APC National Chairman on June 27, had travelled to the United Kingdom shortly after his resignation. His media aide, Malam Muhammad Garba, disclosed that the trip was pre-scheduled and not in any way connected to recent political developments. Garba noted that Ganduje made efforts to return for the President’s visit but could not make the necessary adjustments to his travel plans. The former Kano State governor was noticeably missing when President Tinubu visited Kano to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late elder statesman, Alhaji Abubakar Imam Galadanci, and to hold meetings with key political stakeholders in the state. His absence raised questions in political circles and fueled speculations of a possible rift between him and the Presidency. However, Ganduje’s camp dismissed such insinuations, reiterating that he remains loyal to President Tinubu and supportive of the APC-led administration. The statement emphasized that his relationship with the President remains cordial and intact, and that his absence should not be misinterpreted. Garba further explained that Ganduje remained in close communication with party leaders in Kano throughout the duration of the visit, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and Kano APC Chairman Abdullahi Abbas, to ensure proper coordination during the President’s stay in the state. Also defending Ganduje, a support group under the APC in Kano known as Tinubu Care and Concern (TCC) dismissed the reports of a political fallout, describing them as “unfounded propaganda” aimed at sowing division within the party. Ganduje’s resignation and his recent absence have come amid broader political realignments in the APC, particularly in Kano State where President Tinubu is believed to be reaching out to other political stakeholders, including former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Despite these developments, Ganduje continues to play a key role in the political affairs of the state.