Lessons from Ganduje’s Fall

There are a lot of lessons to learn from the forced resignation of the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Umar Ganduje recently.

Penultimate week, the two-time governor of Kano State suddenly resigned from his position to the consternation of members of his party and Nigerians in general.  He has since been replaced by Ali Bukar Dalori in acting capacity.

A few months ago, Ganduje was reported to be taunting his former boss and ex-governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, not knowing what will befall him soon. 

He made his political fight with Kwankwaso very personal and eternal. At every opportunity he was in Kano, he would mock his former boss publicly.

In 2013, as governor of Kano, Kwankwaso, a former Minister of Defence, defected to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

In 2018, he, alongside 13 other APC senators, joined the PDP.

He joined the New Nigeria’s People Party (NNPP) in 2022 ahead of the 2023 general election, where he emerged fourth in the presidential election, pulling over 1.4 million votes.

Recently, the former APC chairman countered the party’s supporters in Kano who were against the defection of Kwankwaso to the party, insisting that he should be rehabilitated and rescued from his current homelessness.

Though he pretended to be in support of Kwankwaso returning to the party, he was actually not happy, knowing he would dwindle his influence in the party.

While he was busy denigrating and taunting Kwankwaso, he didn’t know that there were forces stronger than him who knew the importance of having Kwankwaso in the party, and that the forces were ready to sacrifice him if that would bring the NNPP chieftain back to the APC.

Last week, the Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, stated that the party’s doors are open for Kwankwaso to rejoin, work with President Bola Tinubu.

Should Kwankwaso join the APC as is being speculated, analysts believe the leadership structure will tilt towards Kwankwasiyya, with Kwankwaso likely assuming de facto control. 

Though under the APC constitutional guidelines, Kano’s Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf would be recognised as the formal party leader if he also joins the party but that would also be to Kwankwaso’s advantage over Ganduje, being the governor’s political mentor.