No turn Southwest to war zone – NNPP Chairman reply Ganduje on APC ‘take over

Chairman of New Naija epople’s Party (NNPP) for Osun State, Dr. Tosin Odeyemi, don talk say All Progressives Congress (APC) no win 2024 Ondo State governorship election fair.

According to Odeyemi for statement wey him make on Monday, APC and him National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, no suppose dey carry demself go away bicos of di victory for Ondo.

Di NNPP Chairman wey talk based on wetin Ganduje talk afta Ondo election say di next target of APC na to take over Osun, Oyo and all di southwest states for future elections, talk say Osun no be Ondo.

Odeyemi add say Ganduje’s talk dey reckless and no fit be wetin elder statesman suppose talk, especially as Naija dey suffer under di APC government wey dey cause economic hardship.

Odeyemi talk say APC dey buy vote, and e blame am on how dem dey make pipo poor on purpose.

E also challenge Ganduje make e show say APC popular for Kano State, dey laugh am for how NNPP win for im own state.

E talk say: “Pesin go expect say Dr. Ganduje go fit show beta communication skills wey go match im position.”

“With all di wahala wey Naija dey face for economy, who go wan vote for APC?”

“Ganduje no suppose dey carried away by wetin happen for Ondo State.”

Odeyemi don charge all di political stakeholders make dem respect di wishes of di pipo.

“Him emphasize say Osun residents sabi wetin dey happen for politics and dem no go fit tolerate electoral malpractice or intimidation.”

“Osun pipo dey wise and dem love peace. Each party suppose make voters fit decide freely.”

“Ganduje no suppose turn di Southwest to war zone.”

“Wetin pesin talk get weight, and 2026 suppose dey crisis-free for Osun,” e add.

Ganduje

Ganduje join di National Party of Naija (NPN) during di Second Naija Republic and serve as Kano State Assistant Secretary from 1979 to 1980.

E contest di House of Representatives election for 1979 under di NPN but e lose di election.

Between 1984 and 1994, e hold various government positions for di Federal Capital Development Authority, and for 1994 e become di Kano State Commissioner of Ministry of Works, Housing, and Transport.

For 1998, e join di People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and aspire to be di party’s gubernatorial candidate, for di primaries wey Tony Momoh, Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila and Senator Bala Tafidan Yauri amongst others supervise; e lose to Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Ganduje later become di deputy to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso between 1999 and 2003.

In addition to di deputy governorship, dem also appoint am as di Commissioner for Local Government.

From 2003 to 2007 e serve as di Special Adviser (Political) to di Minister of Defence.

Ganduje also serve as executive secretary of di Lake Chad Basin Commission for Ndjamena.

Governor of Kano State

For 2014, dem select am as di All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for di Governor of Kano State.

E go on to defeat di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Malam Salihu Takai, with 1,546,434 votes against Takai’s 509,726 votes for di 2015 governorship election.

On 29 May 2015, dem inaugurate am as di Governor of Kano State, replacing him political mentor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

During him first term, Ganduje fall out with Kwankwaso, wey e accuse of godfatherism.

Him tenure also characterized by series of clashes with Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, wey e investigate for financial recklessness.

For 2019, e win re-election for second term, defeating Kwankwaso’s son-in-law Abba Kabir Yusuf, for controversial election wey dem mar with electoral malpractices.

For 2019, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sign into law di creation of four new emirates.

Dis unprecedented move see di reduction of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II’s traditional domain as emir.

According to di law, di Kano emir go only preside over 10 local government areas out of di 44 for di state, wen previously di emirate’s domain be all 44 Kano State LGAs.

For March 2020, di state legislature launch new investigation on Sanusi for violation of traditional practices.

Dis come afta high court ruling wey restrain di corruption investigation against Sanusi.

On 9 March 2020, Ganduje depose and exile Emir Sanusi, on di basis of alleged “insubordination and disrespect to lawful instructions from di office of di Governor”.

Bribery

For October 2018, video clips reportedly recorded by spy camera dem publish by online medium Daily Naija show di governor dey receive wads of dollar notes in wetin appear to be bribe payments from contractors.

Di governor, through him commissioner for information, however, deny di allegations and claim say di video clips dey doctored to blackmail am and e threaten legal suit to di publisher of Daily Naija, di journalist wey release di video clips.

For November 2018, Ganduje sue Daily Naija publisher Jaafar Jaafar for alleged defamation over di publications of di bribery videos.

On 30 June 2021, Ganduje attempt to withdraw di lawsuit with sources saying say e intend to refile at later date.

However, on July 6, counsel to di Daily Naijan Muhammad Dan’Azumi, file counter-claim say Ganduje’s lawsuit dey baseless and waste of di court’s time.

Di next day, Justice S. B. Namalam grant Ganduje’s motion to withdraw but order am to pay ₦400,000 to Jaafar and di Daily Naija each.

For August 2021, Jaafar talk say Ganduje never pay di ₦800,000 or contact him lawyers to arrange di payments.

On 15 July 2021, Ganduje file another defamation case against Jaafar and Daily Naija.

Previously, Jaafar don countersue for ₦300,000.

Threats against publisher

On 19 March 2021, Ganduje reiterate him claim say di videos dey doctored to BBC Hausa and talk say e get plans to ‘deal with’ di journalists wey publish di videos.

On 22 March 2021, Jaafar Jaafar send letter to di Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu stating say di interview amount to threat and Ganduje suppose dey held responsible if anything happen to am.

Di letter also reiterate claims say Jaafar don dey in intense danger since di videos release and say e don become de facto “persona non-grata” for Kano State along with call for investigation into Ganduje.

Kano State Commissioner of Information Mohammed Garba defend Ganduje, claiming say di “deal with” remarks reference di then-ongoing defamation lawsuit.

Di next month, Jaafar flee him home for Abuja due to death threats and unidentified men dey follow am (e don stop permanently living for Kano since 2018).

Later for April, police officers go Daily Naija offices in search of Jaafar.

Di officers give employees letter summoning Jaafar to police headquarters for questioning about alleged “criminal conspiracy, defamation, injurious falsehood and inciting violence.”

Jaafar remain in hiding and for May, e flee with him family to di United Kingdom in fear of di death threats.

E talk say e go remain overseas “until Dis regime fit guarantee my safety and protect freedom of di press.”

Pressure to remove anti-corruption official

For later June 2021, di Daily Naija report say Ganduje dey pressure di Kano State House of Assembly to remove Muhuyi MagaJi Rimin Gado from him position as Chairman of di Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC).

Earlier for June, Rimingado, wey don dey under public pressure to investigate Ganduje since di 2018 bribery scandal, don request information on construction of di Kano Cancer Centre and di state government’s procurement of diesel.

Di Cancer Centre’s construction dey purportedly controlled by associate of di Ganduje family while di government diesel procurement dey under di direct control of Ganduje’s family members.

Wen Rimingado begin to look into di contracts and nature of di Cancer Centre’s construction and diesel procurement, Ganduje push for him removal throughout June 2021.

For early July 2021, di Kano State House of Assembly suspend Rimingado for month over ‘di rejection of an accountant deployed to di Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission from di office of di State Accountant General.

House spokesman, Uba Abdullahi, claim say di office of di Accountant General send petition to di state House of Assembly for intervention and Majority Leader Labaran Abdul Madari appoint investigative committee.

Ganduje later appoint Mahmoud Balarabe, Director for Public Prosecution for di Kano State Ministry of Justice, as acting Chairperson of di Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.

On 24 July 2021, Justice Sanusi Ado-Ma’aji grant motion filed by Rimingado to halt di House of Assembly from its investigation.

Ado-Ma’aji adjourn di case until August 6 for further hearings.

Despite di ruling, on July 27, di House of Assembly’s investigative committee present its report with di claim say Rimingado don fake illness to avoid testimony and act improperly in declining di office of di Accountant General’s accountant.

Di committee then recommend say Rimingado dey relieved of him position, arrested, and prosecuted along with recommending say di accountant, Isah Yusif, begin for di PCACC and di House set up new committee to look into di PCACC’s finances under Rimingado.

Later that day, di Kano State Police Command detain Rimingado for questioning over alleged forgery and false declaration.

Chairman of di All Progressives Congress

On 3 August 2023, di National Executive Committee of di All Progressives Congress appoint Ganduje as di National Chairman of di ruling party, following di resignation of Abdullahi Adamu.

On 23rd September, 2024, Justice Inyang Ekwo, Dr Abdullahi Gandujeof di Federal High Court for Abuja, dismiss di suit wey dey seek di removal of , as di National Chairman of di All Progressive Congress.

Dem filed lawsuit by di North Central APC Forum and led by Saleh Zazzaga, challenge Ganduje’s appointment as APC National Chairman on di grounds say e dey from Kano State for di North West geopolitical zone, whereas di position, previously held by Senator Abdullahi Adamu from di North Central, suppose remain within that region according to di APC Constitution.

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