Malam Muhammed Garba, Chief of Staff to former Kano State governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has dismissed rumours of a rift between his principal and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that Ganduje’s June 2025 resignation as national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was voluntary.
In a recent interview, Garba said Ganduje left the position after completing “almost 90%” of the tasks assigned to him by the president, adding that the former chairman felt it was the right time to step aside for rest before returning to political activities.
“There is nothing like a cold war between Dr Ganduje and President Tinubu,” Garba said. “He consulted the president before resigning, and his decision was accepted in good faith. They remain in constant touch and are the best of friends.”
Garba explained that Ganduje travelled to London five days after his resignation, partly to attend to his health, which he stressed was not a serious concern, and to take a break after months of intense political engagement.
His absence during President Tinubu’s condolence visit to the family of the late Aminu Dantata in Kano, as well as during the vice president’s visit and the Kaduna summit, was due to his being abroad, Garba added.
He also revealed that the recent APC stakeholders’ meeting in Kano was hosted at Ganduje’s residence, where party leaders reaffirmed him as the state’s party leader without prior notice to him—an action Garba described as a testament to Ganduje’s firm grip on the party and his capacity to secure APC’s victory in 2027.
On whether Ganduje is ready to return to active politics, Garba said: “Of course he is. I was with him in London a few days ago, and I can assure you that he has had enough rest. All things being equal, we expect him back in the country in a couple of days.”
