Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has responded to comments by his long-time political associate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, insisting that their shared political history reflects mentorship and mutual support.
Ganduje, currently in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage, issued his response through a statement signed by his Chief of Staff, Muhammad Garba.
The statement followed Kwankwaso’s remark that “Even Ganduje was once my boy.”
Reacting, Ganduje said the relationship between political actors is often built on support systems rather than hierarchy, stressing that political advancement is rarely achieved in isolation.
He stated that during Kwankwaso’s early political journey, he had provided backing that contributed to his rise, including his emergence as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“At that time, Ganduje could confidently have referred to Kwankwaso as his political boy,” the statement noted, adding that such support formed part of their shared political engagement in Kano politics.
Ganduje also referenced his earlier public service roles in the Federal Capital Territory and later as Kano State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, during which Kwankwaso was said to have maintained frequent contact with his offices in Abuja and Kano.
On political rhetoric, he cautioned against framing relationships in hierarchical terms, saying, “Politics should not be about who is superior to the other. A father can nurture a child who eventually becomes greater in status and influence.”
He further revisited the 1998 Kano governorship primaries, noting that although some stakeholders believed he had won, he stepped down after persuasion from senior political actors to support Kwankwaso as deputy governor in the interest of party unity.
Both men later served together as governor and deputy governor between 1999 and 2003, and again between 2011 and 2015, despite later political disagreements.
The statement also pointed to current Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf as an example of shifting political roles, noting that he once served as Kwankwaso’s personal assistant before becoming governor.
Ganduje urged political actors in Kano to avoid statements that could deepen divisions, calling instead for focus on peace, unity, and development in the state.
