The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has issued a challenge to Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), urging him to publicly present his PhD certificate.
In addition, Ganduje claimed that Kwankwaso’s aspirations for the position of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister were thwarted by President Tinubu due to his alleged desperation.
Ganduje conveyed this message through a video shared on social media. In the video, the APC National Chairman referred to Kwankwaso as an “alleged illiterate” who lacks comprehension of a master plan.
“I am willing to provide my PhD certificate for everyone to see its authenticity. By doing so, I’m challenging Kwankwaso to also reveal his PhD certificate and establish that he holds a Doctorate degree like me,” Ganduje stated in the video.
Ganduje recounted that Kwankwaso’s attempts to become FCT Minister during President Tinubu’s administration were driven by a desire for power. He shared that President Tinubu discreetly approached him to recommend a minister, and he proposed Dr. Mariyya Bunkure, a PhD holder.
Ganduje also criticized Kwankwaso’s actions, asserting that the support for the demolition of buildings in Kano was an attempt to present himself as a proponent of reviving Abuja’s master plan. He suggested that this approach backfired, as it was widely disliked, including by the President.
However, Ganduje made these remarks during a meeting with his loyalists and party supporters at the APC secretariat in Abuja. He revealed that Kwankwaso’s aspiration for the FCT Minister position was denied by President Tinubu.
Ganduje stated that the demolition of buildings, which was carried out with his administration’s approval, was a manifestation of Kwankwaso’s and Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf’s frustrations, masquerading as efforts to sanitize Kano’s master plan.
“If you inquire about the master plan, he wouldn’t be able to provide a clear answer. All you’ll hear is that we’ll reset the Kano master plan. We’ve assured the people of Kano that we’ll demolish buildings, even if they’re 1,000 stories high.”
Furthermore, a reliable unnamed source dismissed Ganduje’s statements as unsubstantial, suggesting that only frivolous politicians would pay attention to his claims. The source emphasized that the “Gandola” bribery scandal surrounding Ganduje remained a pertinent issue that would resurface whenever his statements were brought into focus.
