Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has addressed public speculation surrounding his absence during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Kano State.
President Tinubu was in Kano on Friday, marking his first visit to the state since assuming office.
The trip was primarily to extend condolences to the family of the late business tycoon, Alhaji Aminu Dantata.
Ganduje’s absence at such a high-profile event raised questions, with observers linking it to possible internal party tensions following his resignation as APC National Chairman.
Despite this, President Tinubu was warmly received by several top APC figures, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril, APC Kano Chairman Prince Abdullahi Abbas, former Deputy Governor Nasiru Gawuna, and State Ministers Dr. Mariya Bunkure (FCT) and Abdullahi Ata (Housing), among others.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Ganduje’s aide, Malam Muhammad Garba, clarified the reason behind his absence, stating the former governor had traveled to London for a personal engagement shortly after stepping down from party leadership.
Garba explained, “The visit by President Tinubu was communicated to Ganduje, but unfortunately, despite frantic efforts to reschedule his flight and itinerary, the logistics made it impossible for him to return in time.”
He dismissed rumors suggesting Ganduje was either avoiding the event or facing health issues, saying the former governor was abroad well before the president’s visit.
Garba also noted that Ganduje remained actively involved behind the scenes to support the President’s visit: “Despite being abroad, Ganduje remained in constant communication, virtually every hour or two, with key party leaders, including the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and the APC Kano State Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, to ensure smooth coordination for the President’s visit.”
He further emphasized that Ganduje’s resignation as National Chairman does not signal any rift with President Tinubu.
“The APC in Kano,” Garba said, “remains fully united, loyal, and committed to the vision and leadership of President Tinubu.”
He concluded by reaffirming the strong bond between Ganduje and the president, describing it as “a relationship built over years of mutual respect and political alignment.”
