2027: Intrigues as Tinubu trades off Ganduje for Kwankwaso
Former Governor of Kano State and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje has become the latest casualty in the murky waters of Nigeria’s politics. His resignation from his exalted office came to many as a shock.
Despite his unrepentant loyalty to President Bola Tinubu who he adorned his signature cap in every public function, on Friday, he threw in the towel amid various conspiracy theories ahead of 2027 general elections.
Though Tinubu had previously made attempts to remove Ganduje owing to mounting agitation from the North Central to correct political imbalance as well as complaints on corruption, extortion and mishandling of party matters, it had not been possible because of his loyalty to the presidency.
In August 2024, the president had reportedly planned to remove Mr Ganduje, consequent upon which he would be nominated for ambassadorial posting in one of the West African countries, but he also pulled some strings in the presidency and survived it.
But this time, the pressure was overwhelming and Ganduje’s eventual exit from his high office so unceremoniously further proves that truly, in politics, there are no permanent enemies, or friends, but interests.
The development has proved that in Nigeria, politics is dirty, slippery and dangerous. It is a vicious game that continually produces victims. The latest victim in this case is Ganduje who on various occasions boasted about the invisibility of his party, the APC.
Since he left office, the nation’s political space has been filled with various conspiracy theories ranging from the Kwankwaso angle, corruption allegations to pressure from stakeholders in the North Central zone.
Kwankwanso’s Electoral value
Despite other conspiracy theories, the most potent remains the superiority of the electoral value of yet another former governor of Kano State, Musa Kwankwaso over that of Ganduje. It was a trade-off ahead of 2027 general elections.
It was reliably gathered that Ganduje had to quit his position over the reported move by Rabiu Kwankwaso, to join the APC. There were even reports that Kwankwaso had given the presidency a condition that for him to join the ruling party, Ganduje must resign as the National chairman of the party.
So, it was a matter of President Tinubu choosing who would be of more value in the politics of Kano State in terms of attracting voters to the APC in 2027.
There are feelers that President Tinubu is even toying with the idea of substituting his vice, Kashim Shettima with Kwankwaso in his re-election bid because of the strategic position of Kano in the politics of Nigeria.
Both Ganduje and Kwankwaso are former governors of Kano and were once political allies during their days in the Peoples Democratic Party.
Kwankwaso served as governor from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2015, with Ganduje as his deputy during the second term.
However, their relationship deteriorated shortly after Ganduje succeeded Kwankwaso as governor in 2015 under the APC.
Since then, the two have become political rivals, frequently clashing over control of Kano’s political structure and influence.
Ganduje deposed the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who was installed by the state governor, Abba Yusuf believed to be loyal to Kwankwaso.
Allegations of Corruption
Some theorists said Ganduje’s sack may also not be unconnected with various allegations of corruption. Last week, there were indications President Tinubu had ordered the ousted party chairman to resign, following a report of the State Security Service, SSS, that indicted him of corruption.
Alhaji Ganduje was alleged to have mishandled the Anambra governorship primaries, and recent FCT Area Councils primary elections.
The allegations reinforced the perception over the corruption videos of Mr Ganduje receiving bribes in dollars from a contractor, leading to a probe by the Kano State House of Assembly.
Mr Ganduje is currently facing corruption charges alongside his wife, son and other accomplices to the tune of over N50 billion in Kano.
Pressure from North Central
Also, another angle of the conspiracy theories is the pressure by the North Central zone of the country to occupy the seat of the National Chairman of the APC.
Ganduje’s tenure faced a sustained opposition from the party’s stakeholders in the North Central where his predecessor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, hails from.
Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State, was reportedly forced to resign after the 2023 general elections as he was believed not to have supported Tinubu during the APC presidential primaries.
After the elections, Adamu resigned, paving the way for Ganduje who is of the North West and key Tinubu campaigner, to assume the chairmanship of the party. The arrangement did not go down well with stakeholders from the North Central zone where Adamu hails from.
