Ganduje Receives The Sun Lifetime Achievement Award for Service, Governance.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
Northern Bureau Chief
September 17, 2026.
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and two-term Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Sun Newspapers, in recognition of his contributions to public service, governance and development.
The prestigious award was presented to Ganduje at his residence by the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, who described the honour as a recognition of a long career of public service and contributions to society.
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Ukeh explained that the latest honour followed Ganduje’s earlier recognition as The Sun Governor of the Year while he was serving as Governor of Kano State. The newspaper has previously recognised Ganduje for his record in governance, including infrastructure development and urban renewal in Kano.
According to Ukeh, the Lifetime Achievement Award was approved by the Board of Editors of The Sun Newspapers after consideration of Ganduje’s contributions and achievements in public life.
He noted that Ganduje’s years in public service had been marked by involvement in governance at both state and national levels, making the former governor a notable figure in Nigeria’s political and administrative history.
Ganduje’s public career spans several decades. Before becoming Governor of Kano State, he served as Deputy Governor of the state and held other public responsibilities at the federal and international levels.
He served as Governor of Kano State from 2015 to 2023, after which he became National Chairman of the APC. His tenure in Kano featured programmes and projects in areas including road infrastructure, urban renewal, education, healthcare and other sectors.
The Sun itself has previously reported on awards and recognitions associated with Ganduje’s tenure as governor. In one of its reports on The Sun Awards, the newspaper noted that Ganduje was among governors recognised for their achievements in governance.
His subsequent emergence as APC National Chairman further placed him at the centre of national political and organisational affairs. During the 2025 edition of The Sun Awards, Ganduje also participated in presenting Lifetime Achievement honours to other prominent Nigerians, illustrating the newspaper’s long-standing tradition of recognising distinguished service.
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Ganduje: Honour belongs to Allah
Responding to the latest recognition, Ganduje expressed appreciation to The Sun Newspapers for the honour and thanked Almighty Allah for giving him the opportunity to serve the people and continue contributing to society.
The former governor described the recognition as an encouragement to remain committed to service and to the broader development of Nigeria.
He also expressed appreciation to the management, editorial board and staff of The Sun Publishing Limited for finding him worthy of the prestigious recognition.
Dignitaries witness presentation
The presentation was witnessed by Ganduje’s Chief of Staff, Comrade Muhamad Garba, and the Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, Dr. Baffa Babba Dan’agundi.
The ceremony provided an opportunity for the dignitaries present to reflect on Ganduje’s long journey in public service and his various responsibilities at state and national levels.
The latest recognition also comes against the backdrop of The Sun’s established awards tradition, through which the newspaper has continued to honour Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in governance, business, public administration, education, professional service and other areas of national development. The newspaper describes its annual awards as a platform for celebrating individuals whose contributions have made an impact on society.
Achievement Award represents another major recognition added to a long list of honours received during his years of public service, marking a new chapter in the public acknowledgement of his contributions to Kano State and Nigeria.
The award, therefore, serves not only as a recognition of his past public responsibilities, but also as a reminder of the continuing importance of public service, institutional contribution and commitment to national development.
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper, September 18, 2026
