Cabinet Speculation Mounts as Ganduje, Badaru Visit Tinubu at Aso Rock

​ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu held high-level, private consultations with two key All Progressives Congress (APC) powerbrokers at the State House on Tuesday, sparking fresh ripples of speculation regarding the next phase of his administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.

​The President received the former National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and the former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, in separate audiences at the Aso Rock Villa.

​The visits come on the heels of the party’s 4th Elective National Convention held last Friday, where Professor Nentawe Yilwatda was formally elected to lead the party. Ganduje, who governed Kano State for eight years, had steered the party’s affairs until his resignation in July 2025.

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​Similarly, Badaru Abubakar, the former Governor of Jigawa State, recently exited the cabinet as Minister of Defence in December 2025. His presence at the Villa, alongside Ganduje, has led many to believe that the President is finalizing a list of “special assignments” or a strategic cabinet reshuffle to strengthen his executive team following the party’s internal reorganization.

​The “Silent” Exit

​Both chieftains arrived and departed the Villa under a veil of discretion. Our correspondent observed Dr. Ganduje, clad in a signature green ‘Babanriga’, exiting the State House at approximately 4:15 pm. Exactly 15 minutes later, at 4:30 pm, Badaru Abubakar followed suit.

​When approached by State House correspondents for comments on the nature of their discussions with the President, both men politely declined, maintaining a calculated silence that has only added fuel to the political fire.

​Party Unity and 2027 Strategy

​Insiders suggest that the meetings were not merely social. With Professor Yilwatda now firmly at the helm of the APC, the Presidency is reportedly keen on ensuring that the party’s “old guard”—men like Ganduje and Badaru, who were instrumental in the 2023 victory—remain integrated into the fold.

​”The timing is significant,” a source within the party noted. “The convention is over, the new NWC is in place, and now the President is looking at the governance side of the equation. You don’t leave men of such experience on the sidelines for long.”

​While the official details remain undisclosed, the separate nature of the meetings suggests individual briefings, potentially centered on regional security in the North or upcoming diplomatic and administrative appointments.