The immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was unavoidably absent during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolence visit to Kano on Friday due to a pre-scheduled personal engagement in London, which commenced five days after his resignation from the party’s leadership.

SolaceBase reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in Kano on Friday on a condolence to the Dantata’s family over the death of Alhaji Aminu Dantata; however, the immediate past Chairman of APC and former Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was conspicuously missing during the visit.

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Giving clarifying on the matter, Malam Muhammad Garba, former Chief of Staff to the APC National Chairman, in a statement on Saturday said that contrary to media speculations suggesting that Dr. Ganduje was either unwell or deliberately excluded from the President’s entourage, the former National chairman had traveled to London for a personal engagement that had been arranged well in advance.

Garba explained that the visit by President Tinubu, which aimed at paying condolences to the family of the late business icon, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, was communicated to Dr Ganduje, but unfortunately, despite frantic efforts to reschedule his flight and itinerary, the logistics made it impossible for him to return in time.

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 “Dr. Ganduje made every effort to adjust his plans but was unable to do so,” Garba stated.

However, despite being abroad, Dr. Ganduje remained in constant communication virtually every hour or two with key party leaders, including the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and the APC Kano state Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, to ensure smooth coordination for the President’s visit.

Garba emphasized that Dr. Ganduje’s resignation as APC National Chairman in no way affects his cordial, longstanding relationship with President Tinubu, a bond built over years of mutual respect and political alignment.

“The APC in Kano,” he added, “remains fully united, loyal, and committed to the vision and leadership of President Tinubu,” he said, reaffirming the party’s strong support for the Renewed Hope Agenda.