Leaked audio reveals governor's dissatisfaction with the president-elect's actions
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has voiced his disapproval of a recent meeting between President-elect Bola Tinubu and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. In a leaked audio recording, confirmed by insiders to feature the voices of Governor Ganduje and former 'placeholder' vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Masari, the governor expressed his frustration over Tinubu's invitation to Kwankwaso for discussions held in Paris.
The meeting between Tinubu and Kwankwaso, which lasted for approximately four hours, covered various topics, including the possibility of Kwankwaso joining the incoming cabinet as a minister. This development has sparked controversy, particularly among APC leaders in Kano.
Abdulmajid Kwamanda, an APC leader in Kano, strongly opposed the idea of Tinubu appointing Kwankwaso to any position within the party, even as low-ranking as a messenger. Kwamanda stated that the North West region of Nigeria does not welcome Kwankwaso into the APC and threatened to disrupt the party in the north while withdrawing their support for Tinubu if he goes ahead with the appointment.
Shortly after Kwamanda's remarks, an audio recording of a phone conversation between Governor Ganduje and Ibrahim Masari, a former placeholder vice presidential candidate of the APC, surfaced. In the leaked audio, Governor Ganduje expressed his sense of being treated unfairly by the president-elect due to the meeting with Kwankwaso. The governor acknowledged that Masari had previously informed him about the possibility of such a meeting but claimed there was little he could have done to prevent it. Ganduje suggested that Tinubu's engagement with Kwankwaso implied that the latter was viewed as an alternative, questioning Tinubu's loyalty and referring to the loss of the government in a somewhat cryptic manner.
Masari, an ally of Tinubu, attempted to pacify Ganduje and advised him not to react angrily to the situation. He assured the governor that he would visit Tinubu and discuss the matter, urging Ganduje to remain calm until their meeting in Abuja.
Governor Ganduje left Kano for Abuja and is expected to meet with Masari before visiting the president-elect, who is due to return to Nigeria imminently. While contacted for comment, Abba Anwar, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, refrained from providing any official statement on the issue. The leaked audio recording underwent thorough verification processes, with no indication of manipulation found by the Daily Trust investigative team.
As the controversy surrounding the Tinubu-Kwankwaso meeting continues to unfold, tensions rise within the APC ranks, particularly in Kano.
