Former APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje has dismissed calls by the Kano State Government for his arrest, describing them as “baseless” and “reckless.”
The demand for his arrest followed remarks Ganduje allegedly made on the state’s vulnerability to banditry. Speaking after a state executive council meeting on Friday, Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Wayya, said cabinet members were concerned that suspected bandits infiltrated border communities less than 48 hours after the statements, suggesting a possible link. The commissioner also accused Ganduje of attempting to create an illegal militia.
In response, Ganduje, through his Chief Press Secretary Edwin Olofu, said the Kano government’s position reflects “desperation” and “incompetence” on the part of Governor Abba Yusuf.
The statement described the allegations as an “abdication of responsibility by a leader who has failed to secure the lives and property of citizens.” It added: “It is deeply unfortunate that rather than addressing the escalating insecurity ravaging the state, Governor Yusuf has chosen to chase shadows while searching for scapegoats to conceal his glaring failures.”
Ganduje’s team highlighted that communities such as Bagwai, Shanono, and Tsanyawa remain in fear, yet the governor has neither visited nor shown empathy to the victims. The statement contrasted Ganduje’s tenure, which it said was marked by peace and stability, with what it described as the “directionless” posture of the current administration.
“Dr. Ganduje has never been associated with violence nor linked to any act that undermines the peace and stability of Kano state,” the statement said. “Governor Yusuf should focus on his constitutional duty of protecting Kano residents instead of engaging in political theatrics and peddling unfounded allegations.”
The former governor stressed that leadership is demonstrated through purposeful action, responsibility, and compassion, not by issuing “frivolous statements aimed at diverting public attention from one’s failures.”
