Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has shed light on how President Bola Tinubu was “misguided” in nominating Maryam Shetty as a ministerial nominee from Kano, a nomination that was eventually withdrawn. Ganduje, the former Governor of Kano State, disclosed that he was not consulted prior to Ms Shetty’s nomination, and that the President reached out to him only after public outcry emerged due to certain social media posts made by Ms Shetty.
In a recorded radio interview aired by multiple stations, Ganduje explained the sequence of events leading up to Ms Shetty’s nomination withdrawal. While her nomination initially caused excitement among her supporters and ignited conversations on social media, it also triggered significant criticism and backlash.
Ganduje clarified that he wasn’t responsible for her replacement, nor did he possess extensive knowledge about her. He emphasized that he had not questioned why President Tinubu nominated her without consulting him. The turning point came when social media posts by Ms Shetty began to generate controversy, leading the President to contact Ganduje for clarification.
“In a palace (presidency), some people claimed to know much about something, but they did not; we just saw Ms Shetty’s name like any other Nigerian; we are followers of the president, we are careful, we did not challenge the choice of Ms Shetty because we did not know much about her personality and capabilities to deliver on the job that makes us remain mum,” Ganduje stated.
President Tinubu subsequently tasked Ganduje with finding a replacement for Ms Shetty, stipulating that the replacement must also be a female nominee from Kano. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure, a medical doctor and former Commissioner for Higher Education in Ganduje’s administration, emerged as the new nominee.
Ganduje emphasized that the change was not meant to discredit Ms Shetty, who had contributed to APC’s success, but rather to address concerns raised within Kano. The saga highlights the complex process of nomination and the intricacies of political appointments.
Source: Premium Times
