#MeetYourGovernorElect: Dr. Umar Ganduje of Kano State

Here are a few facts about Governor-Elect, Umar Ganduje of Kano State: 1. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (OFR) was born on the 25th of December, 1949 to the royal family of Alhaji Umar Shi’aibu, the village head of Ganduje, in Dawakin Tofa Local Government of Kano State. 2. He started his early education in a Quranic school in his village, Ganduje, where he became trained in Islamic knowledge. He attended Dawakin Tofa Primary School from 1956 to 1963 and from there proceeded to the prestigious Government Secondary School, Birnin Kudu from 1964 – 1968. 3. He obtained Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE) from Advanced Teachers’ College, Kano between 1969 to 1972 after which he attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for a bachelor’s degree in Science Education from 1972 to 1975. Ganduje obtained his first master’s degree in Applied Educational Psychology from Bayero University, Kano in 1979 and later returned to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1984 to 1985 for a Master’s in Public Administration. Not satisfied, Ganduje went to University of Ibadan, South West of Nigeria for a PhD in Public Administration between 1989 to 1993. 4. He began his career as a teacher in 1975 at Ole College in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria during his one year mandatory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) National Service. 5. After the national service, he was employed by the Kano State Ministry of Education as Education Officer II in 1976 but later in the same year, he moved to Advanced Teachers’ College, Kano to take up a position as Lecturer I in Educational Psychology. 6. After two years, Dr. Ganduje got an appointment with Bayero University Kano in 1978 as Lecturer I. Later, Ganduje began administrative work with Nornit Limited, Kano as Personnel Manager from 1979 to 1981. 7. In 1981, he joined Federal Capital Development Authority as Admin Officer and rose to the position of Director, Planning, Research and Statistics in 1993. During his service at FCDA, Dr. Ganduje held various positions among which are: Development Secretary of Kwalli Development area; Sole Administrator, Abaji area council; and Chairman, Gwagwalada area council. 8. He was appointed Executive Secretary of FCT resettlement and compensation before he was appointed the Commissioner, Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport in Kano State from January, 1994 to November, 1998. 9. Ganduje’s passion to serve the people took him into politics when he joined defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) during Nigeria’s Second Republic and served as Kano State Assistant Secretary from 1979 to 1980. Dr. Ganduje joined People Democratic Party (PDP) and aspired to be the party’s gubernatorial candidate but later became the deputy of the Governor, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso between 1999 to 2003. 10. He also served Kano State and Nigeria in various other capacities as Commissioner for Local Government; Special Adviser (Political) to the Hon. Minister of Defence; member, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Chairman, Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti in 2008; Executive Secretary, Lake Chad Basin Commission at Ndjamena, Chad Republic. 11. Ganduje – as a champion for the protection of the Fulani herdsmen – was elected as the President of Tabital Fuaku Nigeria and was in-charge of East and Central Africa sub-region. Dr. Ganduje also participated as a member, Nigerian Political Reforms Conference, 2006. 12. Ganduje believes in supporting the less privileged members of the society and hence founded the Ganduje foundation. 13. Eventually, Dr. Ganduje’s hard work and loyalty to his long term boss, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso payed off when Governor Kwankwaso anointed him as his preferred choice to succeed him as Governor of Kano State. 14. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje became the gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of APC and he won his election bid during the April 11 nationwide governorship election as the Governor-Elect, ready to be sworn into office on the 29th of May, 2015. With his numerous years of service as a public servant, Dr. Ganduje will be going into power as an experienced man and as such the people should expect more achievements than his predecessors during his tenure. We wish him success in his incoming administration.