The former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has declared that Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso was once his political boy too, saying there is no need for politicians to distort history or reduce long-standing political relationships to “boy-master” narratives.
Ganduje, who is currently in the Holy Land for the Hajj pilgrimage, stated this while reacting to recent comments credited to Kwankwaso, in a statement issued on his behalf by his Chief of Staff, Comrade Muhammad Garba, on Friday.
Responding to the remarks, the former Kano State governor said politics is built on relationships, support, sacrifice and mentorship, stressing that every major politician has benefitted from one form of assistance or another in the course of his political journey.
According to the statement, Ganduje recalled that he was among the politicians who supported Kwankwaso’s early political rise, particularly during the National Assembly election that eventually saw him emerge as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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“At that time, Ganduje could confidently have referred to Kwankwaso as his political boy, having supported him morally, financially and stood by him during that period,” the statement said.
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The statement further recalled that even before then, when Ganduje was serving as a senior civil servant in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and later as Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in Kano state, Kwankwaso used to visit his offices in Abuja and Kano and sometimes waited for hours to see him.
“It is therefore unnecessary and immaterial for leaders to introduce such narratives into contemporary political discussions, especially at a time when citizens expect attention to be focused on governance and progressive politics,” the statement added.
Ganduje also revisited the political events leading to the 1998 gubernatorial primaries in Kano State, stating that many politicians and stakeholders at the time were aware that he won the contest.
However, according to the statement, senior political figures and elders, some of whom are still alive, prevailed on him to step down in the interest of unity and accept to serve as deputy governorship candidate alongside Kwankwaso.
The former governor noted that despite those political developments, both men went on to work together successfully as governor and deputy governor from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2015 as friends, political associates and partners committed to the development of Kano State.
He further noted that while Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf once served as Kwankwaso’s Personal Assistant, he is today the duly elected governor of Kano State and deserves the respect and dignity of the office he occupies, including from his former political associates.
“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. That is the natural progression of leadership and human relationships,” the statement quoted Ganduje as saying.
He urged political actors in Kano State to avoid divisive comments and focus on issues capable of promoting unity, peaceful coexistence and development in the state.
The former APC National Chairman also called on supporters across political divides to remain calm and avoid inflammatory reactions over the recent exchanges between political leaders in the state.
COMRADE MUHAMMAD GARBA
Chief of Staff to former APC National Chairman
