Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has clarified the party’s stance on the reported plan by former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to rejoin the ruling party.
Ganduje emphasized that while the APC has no objections to Kwankwaso’s defection, he must adhere to the party’s established rules and procedures.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Ganduje, who is also a former governor of Kano State, explained that the APC operates by well-defined principles, which must be followed by anyone seeking to rejoin.
He stated, “In a democracy, the vote of a thief and that of a cleric carry equal weight. We won’t shut our doors to anyone, but they must follow due process.”
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Ganduje further remarked that Kwankwaso’s potential return would be viewed for what it is: “they’ve vomited and now they’re licking it back.” This comment came after reports confirmed that Kwankwaso had already initiated talks with the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, regarding his rejoining the party.
While discussing recent political developments, Ganduje also shed light on the APC stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja. The meeting was convened to assess the party’s poor performance in the 2023 elections and to express appreciation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s developmental efforts and appointments in the state.
Addressing rumors of a fallout between himself and President Tinubu, Ganduje vehemently denied any discord. “There is no rift between us. Our relationship remains as strong as ever,” he said, adding that differences within political parties are common due to the allocation of positions across various zones. He emphasized that the APC is not driven by position-seeking, stating, “If a position is given to another zone, we simply step aside.”
On the internal struggles within the APC in Kano, Ganduje confirmed that the crisis had been resolved. He downplayed the severity of the conflict, dismissing claims that it was deeper than reported.
