Kano: Ganduje Breaks Record, Endorses Deputy As Successor, Picks Senatorial Form

By Gideon Njoku

Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje has broken a record.

On the verge of serving-out his second term as Governor, Ganduje has willingly endorsed his Deputy, Nasir Gawuna, to succeed him in office in 2023.

The Governor, also, selected and endorsed a running mate for Gawuna. The lucky guy is Ganduje’s former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Murtala Garo.

It is not that  Ganduje set a precedence. He was Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Deputy Governor, and succeeded him in office. But according to very reliable sources in Kano, Kwankwaso was literally, allegedly, forced to allow Ganduje to succeed him – which was surprising because, he had always been Kwankwaso’s “boy”, until they fell out after he became Governor.

Ganduje’s choice is worth celebrating because it is like a taboo in Nigeria for Deputy Governors to aspire to succeed their bosses in office. Any hint of such aspiration could cost them their jobs.

In Imo State, during the tenure of now Senator Rochas Okorocha as Governor, it cost Deputy Governor Eze Madumere, a long time close friend and associate of Okorocha, his office as Deputy Governor.

Okorocha had him impeached for harboring such thoughts because he had lined-up his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, to succeed him.

But in the instant case in Kano, Ganduje willingly  endorsed his Deputy to succeed him. It is not known if Ganduje is imposing his Deputy on the State, but he has also shared a couple of other offices.

To himself, Ganduje  appropriated the seat of a Senator as his retirement abode. At 73 years old, if he does win, he will be 77 years at the end of his first term as a Senator. If he seeks a second term, and wins, Ganduje, a strong supporter of the Bola Tinubu 2023 Presidential aspiration, and an in-law to the late Governor of Oyo State, whose son married his daughter,  Ganduje will be 81 years old.

Ganduje’s only prayer should be that if Gawuna wins, he should not treat him as he, Ganduje, treated Kwankwaso. Months after he became Governor, and Kwankwaso a Senator, Ganduje barred Kwankwaso  from visiting Kano, not even Kwankwaso’s Senatorial Zone could he visit.

In 2023, however, Ganduje’s choice will face formidable competition from the PDP candidate, and Kwankwaso’s candidate in his new Party, having quit the PDP.

In 2019, Ganduje barely won a second term in office after a re-run Governosship election between him and the PDP candidate.