“I’m Not Ill”: Dr. Ganduje Breaks Silence on Tinubu’s Kano Visit Absence.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu Northern Bureau Chief Democracy Newsline Newspaper.
Kano, Nigeria -July 20 2025
In the dusty streets of Kano, where politics and perception often walk hand in hand, the absence of a key political figure during a recent presidential visit ignited a storm of speculation. But in a calm and deliberate voice, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and two-term Governor of Kano State, has broken his silence.
“I’m not ill,” Ganduje said firmly in a message conveyed through his former Chief of Staff, Muhammad Garba. “I am well, I am strong, and I remain deeply connected to the affairs of our party and our people.”
This clarification came on the heels of swirling rumors and online insinuations suggesting the seasoned politician had been sidelined—or worse, was battling an undisclosed illness—after failing to appear during President Bola Tinubu’s high-profile condolence visit to the family of the late elder statesman and business titan, Alhaji Aminu Dantata.
According to Muhammad Garba former chief Stated that, Ganduje had departed for London five days after formally resigning from his role as APC National Chairman on June 27. The trip, he said, had been planned well in advance for personal matters,
“Dr. Ganduje made every effort to adjust his itinerary when he was informed of the president’s visit,” Garba explained. “But unfortunately, the constraints of international travel and prior commitments made it impossible to return in time.”
He dismissed the claims of illness or internal party strife as “entirely unfounded.”
While Ganduje’s physical absence left a visible gap, behind the scenes, he was anything but disengaged. Sources within the Kano APC leadership confirmed that he remained in near-hourly communication with senior party figures—coordinating logistics, managing appearances, and ensuring that the president’s visit to Kano was smoothly executed without hitches.
“He was in touch with the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and the APC Kano State Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, from the moment Tinubu’s itinerary was confirmed,” Garba noted.
Despite no longer holding the national chairmanship, Ganduje’s influence within the party and the state remains substantial. His political machinery, finely tuned over years of grassroots engagement, ensured the president was warmly received and properly honored during his visit.
While political watchers speculated that Ganduje’s resignation signaled a rift between him and President Tinubu, Garba was quick to set the record straight.
“Let it be known: the bond between Dr. Ganduje and President Tinubu is longstanding. It is built on mutual trust, shared struggle, and a common vision for the country’s future. There is no crack—there is only continuity,” he said.
Party insiders echoed this sentiment, pointing to the seamless coordination of the Kano visit as evidence that political alignment remains intact, even if roles have shifted.
President Tinubu’s visit to the family of Aminu Dantata was more than a political formality—it was a tribute to a man whose contributions shaped the economic and cultural landscape of Northern Nigeria. Dantata’s passing marked the end of an era, and his influence extended into both public service and private enterprise.
Ganduje, though physically distant, expressed deep sorrow over the loss.
“He was a mentor to many of us,” Ganduje said in a personal condolence message sent to the family. “His legacy is not just in his wealth, but in his wisdom, philanthropy, and statesmanship. Kano, and indeed Nigeria, has lost one of its finest sons.”
In the days following his absence, Ganduje’s political adversaries had attempted to exploit the moment to suggest weakness or irrelevance. But the storm of speculation seems to have passed, replaced by a narrative of continued loyalty and behind-the-scenes leadership.
When asked whether Ganduje’s absence signals a retreat from politics, a close aide smiled: “Dr. Ganduje may no longer sit at the head of the table, but don’t mistake that for absence. He still sets many of the rules in the room.”
As the nation continues to mourn Alhaji Aminu Dantata and recalibrate its political compass ahead of the next electoral cycle, the role of elder statesmen like Ganduje remains critical. While titles change and offices evolve, in the theater of Nigerian politics, presence isn’t always about where you stand—it’s about the weight of your influence.
And for Ganduje, influence is one currency he still holds in abundance.
