The immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has clarified his absence during President Bola Tinubu’s condolence visit to Kano on Friday. He attributed it to a previously arranged personal commitment in London.
The trip, according to sources close to the former governor of Kano, began five days after he resigned from his position as party chairman.
Muhammad Garba, a former Chief of Staff to Ganduje during his tenure as APC National Chairman, released a statement on Saturday with clarification.
Dismissing rumours that Ganduje may have been ill or intentionally sidelined, Garba said the former APC chairman’s travel plans had been set in prior to the President’s visit to Kano.
He stated that although President Tinubu’s visit was to console the family of the late business magnate, Aminu Dantata, his principal Ganduje was been informed of the trip, however efforts to realign his schedule proved unsuccessful.
“Dr Ganduje made every effort to adjust his plans but was unable to do so.
“However, despite being abroad, Dr 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,” Garba stated.
Garba emphasised that Ganduje’s resignation from the party’s leadership had no impact on his closeness to President Tinubu, describing their relationship as longstanding and rooted in mutual trust and shared political vision.
“The APC in Kano remains fully united, loyal, and committed to the vision and leadership of President Tinubu,” he stressed.
