By Abba Anwar
The process of birth, death, and rebirth—reincarnation—is what, in its political sense, according to some opinions, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has observed to a certain extent. The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting was held at the National Secretariat, Abuja, with Ganduje chairing the party from start to finish.
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According to the belief of the advocates of this process, man passes through three stages of human existence. However, Ganduje’s political experiment suggests that man can exist in only two stages, not three—that is, birth to rebirth. Even his recent political life showcases him as a proverbial political cat with nine lives.
Genuine loyalty, the way I see it, is what plays a significant role in Ganduje’s lasting peace as National Chairman for another round of the political tournament, not to mention how he managed to bring some states into the fold of the APC recently. Believe it or not, his reincarnation will automatically change many political calculations, from the state—Kano, to be precise—to national spaces.
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nurtured and advanced the idea of making Ganduje the party’s National Chairman, the first and quick reason he gave, though he owed nobody any explanation, was LOYALTY, LOYALTY, LOYALTY!
Ganduje was the first governor among all APC governors in the country who, from day one, supported Tinubu’s candidature during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. It was clear to all that the Presidency and many other federal agencies, like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), were outrightly against Tinubu.
Do you remember the issue of the new currency when the election was around the corner? What about issues like “Presidency supports Senate President, Ahmed Lawan,” being marketed all over? Ganduje still stood firm, from roots to leaves.
During the heyday of that brazen hatred for Tinubu, Ganduje reminded the Hausa people of the popular Mamman Shata song Habu Na Habu. That show of inner pain by Ganduje sparked much anger within the then corridor of power.
It was known to all that Ganduje’s political sagacity, experience, maturity, commitment to the cause of Jagaban, kulle-kulle (intrigues), and other spiritual engagements, for sure, made it possible for undecided Northern APC governors to make it public that their weight was behind Tinubu. So also other political juggernauts across the region.
It went to the extent that those governors made their position crystal clear that they would accept only a Southern candidate for the Presidency. Take it or leave it, Ganduje played an important role at that time. This is loyalty at its peak!
Before advancing some possible postulations as to what other factors or indices were identified as major players in his strength, let me quickly and briefly discuss what his re-emergence means for the survival and strength of the party in both Kano State and Nigeria as a whole.
Ganduje’s continued reign will do the following magic for the party:
1. APC in Kano will be more united and stronger. Simply because the wall is still standing firmly, as his reign as the National Chairman means a lot for the survival of the party. Though Ganduje is not a political idol, he is a political flagship. Even his political opponents understand how influential he is as a political calculus. All those who work closely with him know how brilliant and refined his thinking and approach are.
2. The process of fielding candidates for elective positions in Kano in the upcoming 2027 general election will become much easier, accepted, and adaptable.
3. The rumor of the possible cross-carpeting of the former governor of the state, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to APC, is put to a halt. Depending on the political dynamism of future occurrences.
4. Ganduje’s deeper understanding of political sophistication and intrigues will open more doors for APC at the national level, allowing it to breathe well with intriguing precaution.
Reconsidering APC’s direction for the emphatic re-engineering of the party’s entire strategy for survival in Kano and the country, in my view, is what influenced the role played by the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin, in Ganduje’s vote of confidence at the top higher spaces.
Among all the APC elected elements from Kano State, Barau leads in this process. No wonder, being an elected person occupying the highest position among all other elected people from Kano State. As bridging gaps of uncertainty and incommunicado become secretly open, it appears Ganduje and Barau are closing ranks with dispatch and frank commitment in Kano first and in Nigeria.
The APC Governors’ Forum also played a significant role in Ganduje’s reassurance, enjoyed from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the NEC meeting. They appreciated how he managed to pave the way for more governors to register their membership with the Forum, as APC under Ganduje swept in more states for the party.
The way I see it, probably by now, Ganduje and very few stakeholders know which cap fits whom in the forthcoming positions for the 2027 general elections, depending on how the cards are played. This is just my personal opinion. I stand to be corrected.
Consensus is to democracy what the brain is to the human body and existence. While the upcoming and long-existing situations have started shaping the future of APC’s victory in the forthcoming elections, political marriages and fence-mending are in top gear.
I, and other people who share a similar view, hope that some contending individuals could and would jettison their interests for the overall interest of the party in the state. Some will be moved upward, some will be made to change direction with genuine reasons, and some will put their hands together with Ganduje as the overall boss.
Anwar was Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, and can be contacted at [email protected]
