Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the former governor of Kano state, has provided an explanation for his absence at the inauguration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Monday. Ganduje stated that he did not attend the inauguration due to concerns about potential violence between their supporters.

In an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday, Ganduje clarified that he has no issues with the new government in the state and that any perceived conflict was merely hype. He emphasized that he maintains a good relationship with the new government.

Ganduje highlighted the two aspects of the handover process. The first aspect involves the transfer of documents, information about government operations, completed and ongoing projects, and advice for the incoming government. The second aspect is the inauguration ceremony. However, when the outgoing and incoming governments belong to different political parties, attending the inauguration is not always necessary, as there is a risk of violence between supporters.

When asked about attending Tinubu’s inauguration for an appointment, Ganduje responded that he was not present for any appointments but would not decline if offered one. He expressed optimism about Tinubu’s presidency, stating that they would pray for him and continue to support him based on his track record that led to his election.