The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Tuesday, endorsed his deputy, Nasiru Gawuna, as his successor.
Mr Ganduje also picked his commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Murtala Garo, as Mr Gawuna’s running mate for the 2023 governorship election in the state.
Messrs Gawuna and Garo were arrested and detained in 2019 by the police for disrupting the collation of results during the closely contested governorship election in the state.
The two top officials were arrested after they moved to the venue of the state collation centre and tore results of elections which eventually led to the declaration of the election as inconclusive by the electoral body.
Mr Ganduje’s spokesperson, Abba Anwar, in a statement said his principal endorsed the duo during a stakeholders meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, held at Africa House, the Government House in Kano.
Mr Anwar said the decision was unanimously taken after exhaustive deliberations ‘with all’ the stakeholders of the party. He added that all party procedures were followed before arriving at the position.
“As governor produced deputy to become governor. This time around, my deputy Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna is our choice for the gubernatorial seat come 2023 general election,” the spokesperson quoted the governor as saying.
“So also he will contest with Murtala Sule Garo as his running mate.
As a deputy governor, Mr Ganduje said, “he makes good use of his office, a very loyal lieutenant who is very loyal and dependable.”
For Mr Garo, the governor said, “He is a real Commander, who is loyal and committed to our cause. This a very fearless confidant. If you want get clear and clean political fight, you need somebody, who is energetic, loyal and fearless. This is Murtala Sule Garo for you.”
Meanwhile, the official statement said the governor of the state will be seeking to be elected as a senator.
“Members of the National Assembly who attended the meeting endorsed governor Ganduje to vie for Senatorial District, Kano North, as announced by the Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who presented the nomination form to the governor, alongside other members.”
Mr Anwar said members of the State Assembly promised to provide a befitting campaign office within Kano North Senatorial District to facilitate Mr Ganduje’s election into the senate
He (the governor) “commended those who contributed resources to purchase the nomination form for gubernatorial race and handed over to him to give to whoever he wants to emerge as gubernatorial candidate and running mate.
“He also commended those who purchased Nomination Form for his Senatorial contest,” Mr Anwar said.
A gubernatorial aspirant, Inuwa Waya, has vowed to challenge the selection of Mr Gawuna, as the anointed candidate of the party.
“It is one thing to be anointed, and another thing to be the flag-bearer of the party. I’m fully in the race, and the decision taken will not hamper our efforts towards giving Kano a quality leadership,” Mr Waya told Daily Nigerian Newspaper.
He added that he is confident that the APC will give a level playing field to all aspirants. He said he believes he has all it takes to get the ticket and win in the general election.
“Mr Ganduje is a father figure to all of us, and we believe, in the spirit of justice and equity, he will play a fatherly and statesman role during the party’s primaries,” Mr Waya told the newspaper.
Another aspirant who opposed Mr Ganduje’s endorsement of his deputy as his successor is a former speaker of the state assembly, Kabiru Alhassan. He has since left the party in protest.
Mr Alhassan, a member representing Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya federal constituency, insisted that his region, Kano South, has been marginalised since the inception of fourth republic.
Also, Sha’aban Sharada, an aspirant for the governorship position, said the governor’s endorsement will not deter him from pursuing his ambition under the ruling APC.
Mr Sharada, who represents Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, told reporters that he is confident of defeating the governor’s choice because he is more popular than other aspirants.
The lawmaker, who is chairperson house committee on National Security and Intelligence, denied speculations he will quit the party if he fails to emerge as the party’s candidate for the election.
He said he has bought the governorship nomination form with donations from support groups. I am a member of the APC, the governor can annoint whoever he likes, we would meet at the party primaries and I am sure I would defeat them, he said.
