There is crack in the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following an alleged leaked audio in which Deputy Governor Prof. Hafiz Abubakar alluded that he would dump his principal, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and return to the university.
Abubakar, a Professor at the Bayero University, Kano reportedly vented his anger over developments in the Kano chapter of the APC where he was reportedly sidelined in the scheme of things, DailyTrust Newspapers gathered.
He was said to have been “railroaded” by ex- Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as Ganduje’s deputy ahead of the 2015 gubernatorial election and the “marriage of convenience” had since deteriorated.
Ganduje had since parted ways with Kwankwaso even as there were suggestions that the former Kano governor was realigning with his political allies and even some foes to dislodge Ganduje by 2019.
In the leaked audio which had already gone viral today, Prof. Abubakar said he was yearning to “return to Bayero University, Kano at the end of their tenure in 2019.”
He was reportedly axed out of prominence as far as the ruling APC was concerned, including at his ward and local government levels; hence his resolve to dump the plum political job for the academia at the end of their first tenure with Ganduje.
“When they were campaigning for election, my picture was juxtaposed with the governor (Ganduje), president (Muhammadu Buhari) and our leader Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” the prof. said.
“But today at my birthplace, my picture was replaced with somebody else’s picture. What have I done to my birthplace? I do not deserve this even as a university lecturer at Bayero University, where I hope to return in 2019 at the expiration of my tenure.
“Pray for me to return to the university by May 2019, and this is what I’m fervently asking from Allah. Those who want to continue should go on, but my prayer is to go back to Bayero University.
“I will not be part of a system whereby the leadership of my party, APC, would be formed at my Mandawari ward, my birthplace, and my blood brother was removed without anyone consulting with me.
“I did not bring myself here. I was engrossed in my academic activities when I was picked as the deputy governorship candidate. God that chose me is not sleeping. Whether I am in the university, God knows the best. I pray to him to choose the best for me,” he said.
The state government had this afternoon expressed “shock” over the turn of events.
Speaking through the his Commissioner for Information, Governor Ganduje said he was shocked by the statement made by his deputy which was aired on radio over the removal of his Mandawari ward party chairman.
The statement reportedly directed the immediate reinstatement of the removed chairman and called on politicians to always contact party leadership and politicians holding higher offices before embarking on issues of sensitive nature.
