By Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad
Much as I would have hoped to pass this message without this paragraph, I felt the need to begin by stating that this is not an attempt to ridicule or undermine a man who has served twice as both governor and deputy governor and whose total years of experience exceed my own age. I respect his age and his service to the nation. However, in order to convey my intended message, I will have to touch on some less ‘glorious’ parts of his experience. If his biography were ever written, I would be among the first to read it because I find valuable political and business lessons in his life.
Beyond politics, former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje provides a model for salesmanship. I may not fully align with his political choices, but he presents a remarkable example of salesmanship. And by the way, in both business and politics, salesmanship—your ability to persuade and forge acceptance among customers or stakeholders—is what brings results.
As I have written in the past, Ganduje’s early rise stemmed from his tireless effort to sharpen his skills in leadership, administration, and policy. His mastery in these areas is a testament to years of dedicated and purposeful effort. A pivotal moment in both his personal and professional journey was marked by a series of viral videos capturing him in a compromising situation. This unfortunate incident subjected him to ridicule and eroded much of his influence.
When these damning videos of alleged bribery surfaced just before the 2019 election, I naively thought that was the end for him. But I was wrong. He went on to win another election and later assumed his party’s topmost leadership position—a role almost bigger than any he had held in the past. And this is what sparked my curiosity to write this about Ganduje: the bad product that keeps reappearing in the customers’ carts.
I’m not sure he will ever experience another event as defining of his career and personality as that. I naively thought that was the end. I recently stumbled upon a write-up I made back then, advising him to resign. But that moment was indeed a defining one. In many ways, even though it might be the reason he was not chosen as a running mate in 2023 (yes, you can argue about zoning and other factors) or made a minister, it unlocked Ganduje 2.0. He became more ruthless and rigid. There was nothing else to lose.
This subsequent resurgence can be attributed to his “shameless” determination to pursue his goals with unshakable resolve, alongside an approach characterized by perseverance and understated execution, allowing him to surpass expectations while maintaining a discreet presence. Typical of every great salesman. He can go above and beyond, but skillfully slow and almost inconspicuous in realizing his agenda.
It takes a masterful salesman to sell a bad product. Ganduje himself is the bad product. I am not sure he has many people (in high places) doing his bidding for him. He is the primary salesman and promoter of himself as the brand. But he always finds a way to ensure his brand sells. He almost always wins.
I can ascribe Ganduje’s continued personal and political success to the following:
1. Persuasion
2. Patience
3. Loyalty to cause
4. Unflinching resolve to follow through on commitments
5. Unassuming aura, and
6. Old-school strategy
He may not appear clever or even brilliant. You would mistake him for one of those old-school figures, which, of course, he is. But deep inside, he is also a masterful lobbyist, patient strategist, and shameless promoter of whatever agenda he aligns with. Again, none of these observations are aimed at insulting the man who I consider the classic Machiavellian of our time. They are an acknowledgment of his underdog personality, which always serves him—and we can learn a great deal from it.
A lesson for business people.
In business, a bad product, like a good one, has nothing to do with product specifications but rather market acceptance. And the same product can continue to be pitched by a good salesman. As we have seen from Ganduje’s actions, he keeps recycling his offering, but with significant value additions that appeal to new market tastes. He is committed to following through on new market preferences, staying relevant with an old product but a new flavor. No reinvention, no rebranding—just classic persuasion. A good salesman is always shameless in how they project and market themselves or their product.
In his book The Accidental Public Servant, former Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai recounts a candid conversation with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who advised him on how his intelligence and demeanor might be perceived negatively in the political arena. Ganduje mastered the art of appearing less intimidating to avoid alienating others. Almost everyone Ganduje currently deals with (politically) has, at the beginning, underestimated him and how far-reaching his strategy is. The classic art of war teaches us to, while making our position unassailable, also look vulnerable. This is classic Ganduje for you.
Away from the glamour of politics, he is also spiritually grounded. I have reliably established that he is a man of prayer and fasting. This is from a close and personal account. But for how long he continues to rely on luck, I’m not sure. It could be longer than expected or shorter. But he seems to be a man of many lives, the underdog; underestimate him at your own risk.
Unless I am being consumed by naivety yet again, it appears to me that Ganduje has used almost all his lifelines. There’s something we call graceful degradation in computing, where an old system stays relevant but with significantly reduced functionality compared to how it used to be. It is similar to Francis Underwood’s (a character from the political drama House of Cards) assertion that when you plan your downfall, you control how it happens. The Ganduje I know should already be planning his exit. Even Maradona had his last dribble before leaving the arena for the likes of Messi—his grandchildren. A bad product can only be recycled so much. I will continue to follow the man as we move towards Ganduje 3.0, yet again unveiling more Machiavellian tactics.
If you are a young person in the corporate world or in business, whether or not you align politically with him, the man represents a classic example of strategy and salesmanship. It’s no accident he always wins.
Ahmad is an entrepreneur, trainer, and management consultant. He wrote this piece from Kano, Nigeria.
The opinions and views expressed by contributors are solely their own and do not reflect the official stance of Kano Times