Ganduje backs his deputy to emerge next Kano governor

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has endorsed Nasiru Gawuna, his deputy, to become the next governor of the state.

The decision was reportedly taken at a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano.

This came as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given all political parties June 3, 2022 as deadline to conduct primaries and present candidates for the 2023 elections.

At the stakeholders’ meeting presided over by the Kano governor, Murtala Garo, former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, was also selected as Gawuna’s running mate in the 2023 governorship election.

According to sources, Garo is “believed to have the capacity to deliver votes for the party, considering his influence at local government level”.

Ganduje is said to be making plans to obtain the nomination and expression of interest forms to represent Kano north senatorial district.

The Kano north senatorial seat is presently occupied by Barau Jibrin.

Ganduje was deputy governor of Kano to Rabiu Kwankwaso for two terms — 1999 to 2003, and 2011 to 2015 — before he became governor of the state in 2015.

Kwankwaso endorsed Ganduje to succeed him but the relationship between the two became frosty over the years.