Abdullahi Umar Ganduje OFR (born 25 December 1949) is a Nigerian politician who served as the governor of Kano State from 2015 to 2023.

[7] Ganduje joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) during the Second Nigerian Republic and served as Kano State Assistant Secretary from 1979 to 1980.

Between 1984 and 1994, he held various government positions in the Federal Capital Development Authority, and in 1994 he became the Kano State Commissioner of Ministry of Works, Housing, and Transport.

[12] In 2019, he won re-election for a second term, defeating Kwankwaso's son-in-law Abba Kabir Yusuf,[13] in a controversial election marred with electoral malpractices.

On 9 March 2020, Ganduje deposed and exiled Emir Sanusi, on the basis of alleged "insubordination and disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the Governor".

[15][16][17][18] In October 2018, video clips reportedly recorded by spy camera were published by an online medium Daily Nigerian showing the governor receiving wads of dollar notes in what appears to be bribe payments from contractors.

[22] However, on July 6, counsel to the Daily Nigerian Muhammad Dan'Azumi, filed a counter-claim that Ganduje's lawsuit was baseless and a waste of the court's time.

The letter also reiterated claims that Jaafar had been in intense danger since the videos were released and that he had been made de facto "persona non-grata" in Kano State along with a call for an investigation into Ganduje.

[28] Kano State Commissioner of Information Mohammed Garba defended Ganduje, claiming that the "deal with" remarks referenced the then-ongoing defamation lawsuit.

The officers gave employees a letter summoning Jaafar to police headquarters for questioning about alleged "criminal conspiracy, defamation, injurious falsehood and inciting violence.

Earlier in June, Rimingado, who had been under public pressure to investigate Ganduje since the 2018 bribery scandal, had requested information on construction of the Kano Cancer Centre and the state government's procurement of diesel.

When Rimingado began to look into the contracts and nature of the Cancer Centre's construction and diesel procurement, Ganduje pushed for his removal throughout June 2021.

[41] On 23 September 2024, Justice Inyang Ekwo, of the Federal High Court in Abuja, dismissed the suit seeking the removal of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, as the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress.