The Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Oliver Okpala, has denied recent claims that Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the party’s leader, is involved in a plot to dethrone or enthrone any Emir in Kano.
These accusations surfaced following an online report suggesting that Ganduje is allegedly leading efforts to remove the former Central Bank Governor, Emir Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi, from his position as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The report claimed that unnamed “sources within the Kofar Kudu Palace” hinted that some influential figures in Kano, allegedly led by Ganduje, were working behind the scenes to remove Sanusi and manipulate the Kano Emirship. The sources further claimed that Ganduje was advising Emir Ado Bayero, the current Emir, to step down for the sake of peace in the region.
In a swift response to these allegations, Chief Okpala firmly stated that there is no truth to these claims. He emphasized that Dr. Ganduje, who served as the Governor of Kano State from 2015 to 2023, has no current involvement in the Emirship of Kano.
Okpala noted that Ganduje is no longer in a position of political power in Kano, as he is neither the Governor nor a member of the State House of Assembly.
“It should be made categorically clear that Dr Ganduje has nothing to do with the present enthronement or dethronement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi in Kano state.
“It should be noted that Dr Ganduje is no longer the Executive Governor of Kano state or the speaker of the Kano state House of Assembly and therefore cannot have anything to do further with the Emirship of Kano.
“It is laughable that Dr Ganduje who has left office as Governor for some years now would be accused of masterminding a fresh plot to remove or enthrone an Emir.
“According to the publication, Ganduje is not only alleged to be plotting to remove Emir Sanusi, they said he is also plotting to advise Alhaji Ado Bayero to abdicate his throne as Emir of Kano for peace to reign. This is, to say the least preposterous and absurd.
“It must be made clear that Dr Ganduje has led and governed Kano state creditably and since moved on, focusing on other more important national issues, as he leads Nigeria’s governing party, the APC.
“Dr Ganduje has no further hand in the Kano Emirship issue as he is very busy with leading the APC.
“He is satisfied with the enormous contributions he made in terms of massive dividends of democracy, infrastructural developments and the good governance he provided while he held sway as Governor of Kano state.
“Those who are behind this sinister move to malign the APC National Chairman know what their sponsors are planning and they should leave the very busy Dr Abdullahi Ganduje out of it.
“By going further to allege that he wants to use his influence in the Presidency to achieve the so called enthronement and dethronement, it reveals the clandestine and dangerous motive of the sponsors of this act to create bad blood between Dr Ganduje and Aso Rock.
“Let me reiterate here that Dr Ganduje has very great respect for the President and the national leader of the party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The relationship between both parties have been very cordial and no amount of blackmail can destroy the solidity of the partnership.
“The sponsors of this unsavory publication should know that the people of Kano state love and cherish Dr. Ganduje for his untrammeled services to the people of Kano when he served as Governor.
“Dr Ganduje as the National Chairman of the APC through his leadership activities has now positioned the party as one to reckon with. His monumental political achievements now portray him as a true nationalist, not involved in sectional politics or irrelevant traditional matters”, he added.
