Opinion

GANDUJE, THE GREAT SALESMAN

By Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad

Much as I would have hoped to pass this message without this paragraph, I felt the imperative to begin with the fact that this is not an attempt to ridicule or demarket a man who has twice been a governor and deputy governor and whose overall years of experience exceed my age. I respect his age and service to the nation. But in order to pass my intended message, I would have to touch on some less 'glorious' parts of his experience. If his biography were to be written, I should be among the first few 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 align with his political choices entirely, but he presents a model for salesmanship. And by the way, from business to politics, salesmanship—your ability to push and forge acceptance amongst customers or stakeholders—is what brings results.

Like I wrote 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 domains is a testament to years of dedicated and purposeful endeavor. 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 came out moments before the 2019 election, I naively thought that was the end for him. But I was wrong. He would go on to win yet another election and later clinch his party's topmost leadership position—a role almost bigger than all the positions he has 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 would ever go through an event very much defining of his career and personality like that. I naively thought that was the end. I recently stumbled on a write-up I made back then advising him to resign. But that moment was indeed a defining moment. In many ways, even though it might be the reason why he was not chosen as a running mate in 2023 (yes, you can argue about zoning and other things) 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 over 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 look clever or even brilliant. You would mistake him for those old-school guns, 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 are aimed at insulting the man who I consider the classic Machiavellian of our time. They are an acknowledgment of his underdoggish personality, which always serves him—and we can learn a great deal from.

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 antics, he keeps recycling his offering, but with significant value addition that appeals to new market tastes. He has a commitment to continue to follow through on new market tastes, staying relevant with an old product but a new flavour. 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 pregnable. This is classic Ganduje for you.

Away from the glamour of politics, he is also spiritually solid. I have been able to reliably establish that he's a man of prayers and fasts. This is from an up-close and personal account. But for how long he continues to toy on the side of 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.

Except I am being consumed by naivety yet again, it so appears to me that Ganduje has used almost all his lifelines. There's something we call graceful degradation in computing, where an old system still 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 be recycled only 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.