Gov Ganduje Reveals Main Reason For Deputy’s Resignation

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has described the resignation of his deputy, Hafiz Abubakar, as a mere afterthought.

Speaking through the Kano State Commissioner of Information, Muhammad Garba, Ganduje claimed that Abubakar hurriedly resigned his position as deputy governor knowing he had allegedly undermined his office and was on the verge of being impeached by the state’s House of Assembly.

Mr Abubakar had officially resigned his opposition and consequently announced his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday.

The former deputy governor based his move on “the current and persistent irreconcilable differences on matters relating to governance and government operations, personal opinions, and the concept of, and respect for, democratic ideals and values.”

Abubakar also claimed to have “endured immeasurable and unjustifiable humiliation for over two and half years” by Governor Ganduje because of his “principled position on issues of governance and the desire to keep the government on track.”

But addressing the former governor’s claim, the Kano Information Commissioner alleged that a petition for the impeachment of the deputy governor had allegedly been signed by 30 out of the 40 lawmakers in the state assembly.

In the statement, Mr Abubakar was accused of swearing allegiance to Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso who is supposedly his “political Godfather” and Governor Ganduje’s rival.

“The deputy governor, who doubled as commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, has publicly forsaken the Ganduje Administration and swore allegiance to his political Godfather, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso,” said Garba.

The Information Commissioner equally denied allegations of unpaid allowances and entitlements to the deputy governor by Governor Ganduje’s government.

‘’Of recent, in July, to be precise, the sum of N7, 409, 575.00 was released to the former deputy governor to travel to the United Kingdom to receive an Honourary Degree from the University of Reading; the sum of N7,800, 000.00 was also paid as his travelling allowance to Khartoum, Sudan for the convocation ceremony of the University of Africa; for a trip to the United Kingdom for the World Education Forum, the sum of N8, 509, 000.00 was paid to him; while his trip to Saudi Arabia for his daughters’ graduation was also sponsored by the state government, among other privileges extended to him,’’ he said.

Garba added that “The former deputy governor ought to have landed safely and quietly instead of making unsubstantiated allegations just to draw attention.”