Salihu Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, has urged President Bola Tinubu to look into the political standoff between Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the APC, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, the leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party.

Lukman presented the argument in a statement titled “Ganduje: Indefensibility of moral and political burden” that was released in Abuja on Tuesday.

Additionally, he asked the president to see past the N1.38 billion and $413,000 in bribery accusations that the Kano State government brought against the APC national chairman.

Former Kano governors Ganduje and Kwankwaso were formerly allies but parted ways a few years ago over political disagreements in the state.

The news of Ganduje’s suspension by his ward’s legal adviser in Kano’s Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, Halliru Gwanzo, dominated the media on Monday.

According to Gwanzo, the APC ward leadership made the choice in light of the bribery accusations that Ganduje is facing.

The ruling party’s National Working Committee and the Kano State branch swiftly objected to and revoked the suspension, claiming that Gwanzo and the other party leaders who have been charged lack the authority to remove the national chairman.

The Kano State government, run by the NNPP, was also accused by the ruling party of being responsible for the action.

However, Lukman stressed that even if it means forging an alliance, the President and key APC players must move quickly to mediate a settlement between Ganduje and Kwankwaso if they expect to stay onto power in Kano and, consequently, the whole North.

He said, “Being progressives requires honesty, and given the current political reality, we must accept that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and his NNPP have a stronger support base in Kano State.

“And that Kwankwaso was in our party up to 2018. Also between 1999 and 2019, both worked together, and we need to revisit issues surrounding their disagreement.

“On no account should APC leaders limit the engagement of issues surrounding all the political challenges facing us as a party to only the issue of bribery allegation against Dr Ganduje.

“If this means another round of negotiation for political alliance or a merger with Kwankwaso and NNPP, our leaders should proceed to act accordingly.

“President Tinubu and the APC must take full advantage of the current reality to renegotiate the support base of the APC.

“Without a doubt, this situation presents an opportunity for President Tinubu to demonstrate his progressive and political dexterity.

“It is a low-hanging fruit, which, if properly managed, could also save the politics of Dr. Ganduje.

“The hard truth is that, somehow, the politics of Kano State was mismanaged, and as it is, if we were unable to win the election in Kano State when we were in control of the Kano State Government, it would be foolhardy to imagine otherwise.”