By Akombo Aondona, Abuja
National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Wednesday 31 January 2024, urged a chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Buba Galadima, to display maturity in his public comments commensurate to his years of experience in politics, saying that Galadima has failed to evolve into an elder statesman.
Ganduje spoke in reaction to Galadima’s claims in a television interview in which he accused the APC National Chairman of harbouring hatred for the people of Kano State against the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict which put to rest the Kano governorship tussle.
However, Ganduje in a statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment, Chief Oliver Okpala, said he never hated Kano State people because they were APC loyalists despite the Supreme Court ruling.
The statement reads: “The Public Enlightenment Unit Office of the APC National Chairman has noticed with great concern the recent comments credited to a chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, Buba Galadima, while speaking during a TV interview, where he accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje of harbouring hatred for the people of Kano State.
“He was speaking against the backdrop of the recent Supreme Court judgment which laid the electoral tussle in Kano state to rest.
“I am shocked that after all these years, Buba Galadima has refused to mature into an elder statesman.
“His comments sought to force a wrong narrative and interpretation of Dr. Ganduje’s stance as far as Kano politics is concerned.
“It is true that over the years, Buba Galadima has always been following the path of controversy, and throughout his political career, he has always viewed things and responding to issues with mischievous and negative perspectives.
“But I thought by now he would have grown up. But I was wrong.
“My advice is that at his age and level in politics he should, like other statesmen, be preaching for peace, love and unity to reign in the country’s political space.
“Even though they say old habits hardly die, Elder Buba should change his old ways of seeing nothing good in what others do or say.
“I am well aware that he has for decades been critical of all governments in power both in the North and at the national level. Where did that bitter posture take Galadima?
“Honestly, the younger generation would like to see Buba educating them on what is good politically and for them to love their nation.
“But from his comments, he is trying to create bad blood between Ganduje and the people of Kano as well as the leadership of the NNPP. This amounts to political blackmail.
“What Dr. Ganduje said in Kano to his teeming supporters and lovers was very simple. Ganduje who spoke in Hausa language, reminded them of the need to be loyal, law-abiding and supportive of their party irrespective of the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment, stressing his commitment as the National Chairman of the APC to lead the party with peace, love, decorum and dignity.
“One therefore wonders if Galadima’s interpretation of what Ganduje said in Hausa was from Greek language which has no similarity with Hausa language or mere mischief.
“Galadima should now be acting and speaking like a father as an elder statesman so that the younger generation would look at him as a centre point for political wisdom. He should learn from elder statesmen like Ganduje who speak with great wisdom, dignity and love for the county.
“Buba Galadima should be reminded that the people of Kano state love and cherish Ganduje as political leading light and no amount of blackmail against him can change this.
“It is time for our elder statesmen to embrace the path of political rectitude so that they can bequeath to the younger generation, a clean political space ganished with peace, love and unity.”
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