President Bola Tinubu has reportedly considered Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), for an ambassadorial appointment in an African country, according to an exclusive report by *DAILY NIGERIAN*.
Ganduje, who assumed the role of APC National Chairman on August 3, 2023, following Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s resignation, was reportedly informed of the potential posting through Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was tasked with delivering the news.
The proposed diplomatic position is said to be a strategic move aimed at shielding Ganduje from ongoing corruption charges he faces in Kano, linked to bribe videos from 2018 and accusations involving over N50 billion. The former Kano State Governor, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the offer, reportedly telling Akpabio that the charges were baseless and that he would prevail in court.
“Is this the way the president will reward my loyalty? Besides, I am too old to go for an ambassadorial posting. All the charges are tissues of lies, and I will win my case in court,” Ganduje was quoted as saying.
Subsequently, President Tinubu personally offered Ganduje the option to choose his posting among several African countries, with a particular preference for Chad, where Ganduje previously served as the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission between 2009 and 2011. However, it is reported that Ganduje is resisting the move, lobbying to retain his current political position and expressing his preference for Morocco if the appointment becomes unavoidable.
In related developments, Ganduje has reportedly been notified of the President’s approval to conduct the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and mid-term non-elective national convention. Ganduje’s spokesman, Edwin Olofu, confirmed the President’s approval for these events but stated that he had not been briefed about the ambassadorial posting.
“I’m not aware of this; my boss hasn’t briefed me. But I’m aware that the party wrote to Mr. President requesting a date to hold the NEC meeting, and correspondence has been received from the Presidency that September 12, 2024, is approved for the NEC meeting, while the non-elective convention has equally been approved towards the end of the year,” Olofu said.
