I would have slapped Kwankwaso if I met him in Aso Rock, Ganduje fumes

Following the ongoing demolition of properties by the governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, former governor Umar Ganduje expressed his frustration on Friday, stating that if he had encountered his predecessor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he would have slapped him.

Telescope.ng gathered that Ganduje, who served as the immediate past governor of Kano, and Kwankwaso, the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the previous election, have had a tumultuous relationship in recent years.

After a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Ganduje, visibly enraged, accused Kwankwaso of being responsible for the property demolitions in the state.

Speaking with journalists at the State House, Ganduje expressed his anger towards Kwankwaso and stated that the demolition had been carried out without proper investigation or prior notice, as required by the Land Use Act.

Ganduje informed the President about the security situation in Kano State in relation to the demolition and also lodged a petition with the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, providing video evidence of the looting and vandalism that occurred during the demolitions.

While acknowledging Kwankwaso’s presence in the Presidential Villa, Ganduje revealed that they had not crossed paths but expressed his hypothetical frustration, stating that he might have slapped Kwankwaso if they had met.

Ganduje highlighted that the demolition exercise had affected supporters of Kwankwaso and accused the governor, whom he referred to as a “stooge” of Kwankwaso, of carrying out the demolitions due to discontent over the widespread criticism received.

When asked about the extent of the property damage, Ganduje mentioned that human rights organizations were working on assessing the level of damage. However, he did mention that one affected developer had filed a lawsuit against the government, demanding over N10 billion.

The former governor maintained that the demolition exercise was not a personal vendetta against the previous administration but rather an effort to “restore” the urban development master plan of the city. He also indicated that more demolitions were to be expected in the future.