‘You Were Once My Boy Too’ – Ganduje Replies Kwankwaso
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has responded to recent comments attributed to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, saying that political relationships should not be reduced to “boy-master” narratives.
Ganduje, who is currently performing the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, made the remarks through a statement issued on Friday by his Chief of Staff, Comrade Muhammad Garba.
According to the former Kano State governor, politics is built on mentorship, support, sacrifice and mutual relationships, noting that many successful politicians have benefitted from the assistance of others at various stages of their careers.
The statement recalled that Ganduje played a significant role in supporting Kwankwaso’s early political career, particularly during the National Assembly elections that eventually led to his emergence as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“At that time, Ganduje could confidently have referred to Kwankwaso as his political boy, having supported him morally, financially and politically,” the statement said.
It further noted that before their rise in elective politics, Kwankwaso frequently visited Ganduje in Abuja and Kano when he served as a senior civil servant in the Federal Capital Territory and later as Kano State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport.
The former governor also revisited the events surrounding the 1998 governorship primaries in Kano State, maintaining that he won the contest but agreed to step aside after intervention by respected political elders in the interest of unity, subsequently accepting the position of deputy governorship candidate alongside Kwankwaso.
Despite those developments, Ganduje said both leaders worked together successfully as Governor and Deputy Governor between 1999 and 2003 and later between 2011 and 2015, maintaining a productive political partnership for the development of Kano State.
The statement also referenced Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, noting that although he once served as Kwankwaso’s Personal Assistant, he is now the duly elected Governor of Kano State and deserves the respect and dignity attached to his office.
“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,” Ganduje was quoted as saying.
He urged political leaders and supporters across party lines to avoid divisive rhetoric and focus on promoting peace, unity and development in Kano State.
Ganduje also called for calm among political supporters and cautioned against inflammatory reactions arising from the recent exchanges between political figures in the state.