12/07/2025
If I Were Ganduje
By: Prince Daniel
If I were His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, I would know when to walk away — not in defeat, but with dignity.
If I had a long and storied political career — if I had tasted power at nearly every level of governance — I would know that there comes a time to let go. If my journey had begun in the late 1980s, holding senior administrative roles in Abuja during the capital’s transition phase — including leading the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) — giving me early exposure at the federal level, I would remember the value of legacy.
If, in the 1990s, I had served as Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in Kano State under a military administration — shaping public infrastructure and policy — I would understand what it means to build, not just to hold office.
If, following Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, I had served as Deputy Governor of Kano State under Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso during his first term (1999–2003), and again from 2011 to 2015 during his second tenure, I would recognise the weight of public trust. If, in between, I had served as Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission — engaging in international cooperation across Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger — I would appreciate the significance of diplomacy and regional impact.
If I had been elected Governor of Kano State in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 — serving two full terms until 2023 — I would know what it means to govern one of the most politically charged states in Nigeria. And if, most recently, I had risen to become National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) — the ruling party at the centre — I would understand that I had reached the very summit of political influence in the country.
So, if I were Ganduje, after stepping down — or being shoved aside — from that powerful party chairmanship, I would walk away. I would not stoop so low as to allow myself to be inaugurated — or more accurately, paraded — by Festus Keyamo as Chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Not after all I had achieved. Not for a role that adds nothing to my stature and only makes headlines for the wrong reasons.
I would not cling to power for power’s sake. At 75, I would not accept tokenism dressed as relevance. I would not downgrade my legacy just to remain in the room.
If I were Ganduje, I would understand that true statesmanship is knowing when to sit back, reflect, and let history take its course. I would invest in mentoring the next generation, building ideas, documenting my journey — not scrambling for appointments that offer no real authority, only photo ops and protocol. I wouldn’t be lobbying for roles meant for my children or grandchildren.
I would walk away with grace — with my name still intact.
But I am not Ganduje.
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