Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has responded to remarks linked to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, stating that Kwankwaso was once his political protégé.
Ganduje asserted in a statement released on Friday by his
chief of staff, Comrade Muhammad Garba, from Saudi Arabia, where the former
governor is currently performing the Hajj pilgrimage.
According to the statement, Ganduje said politics is built
on relationships, support and mentorship, adding that every successful
politician receives assistance from others at some point in their career.
He said he played a significant role in Kwankwaso’s early
political ascent, particularly during his election into the House of
Representatives and subsequent emergence as Deputy Speaker.
The statement quoted him as saying: “I also have the right
to say Kwankwaso was once my political boy because I supported him and helped
him rise to important positions.”
Ganduje also claimed that, before that period, while he
worked in both Abuja and Kano, Kwankwaso frequently visited his offices to
discuss political matters.
The former governor urged politicians to avoid labels such
as “godfather” and “political son”, stressing that attention should instead be
focused on leadership quality and the development of the people.
He also recalled the 1998 political developments in Kano,
noting that he won the governorship primary at the time but stepped down in the
interest of unity and agreed to serve as Kwankwaso’s deputy.
The statement added that, despite later political
disagreements, Ganduje and Kwankwaso worked together between 1999 and 2003, and
again from 2011 to 2015, for the development of Kano State.
Speaking on Abba Kabir Yusuf, Ganduje said that although
Yusuf once served under him, he is now the elected governor of Kano and
deserves respect by virtue of the office he holds.
Ganduje called on politicians and their supporters in Kano
to avoid remarks capable of deepening division, urging a focus on peace and
unity in the state.
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