Aminu Dahiru Ahmad, Senior Special Assistant to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Àbdullahi Umar Ganduje, on visual communications and Events, has defended the police officer seen lacing the shoe of the ruling party chairman.

The video of the officer stooping low before Ganduje had set tongues wagging on social media.

But Ahmad blamed mischief makers “who feel threatened by his principal’s recent successes” for circulating the video, with the intention of creating disaffection.

He said “circumstantial evidence”, including eyewitnesses, proved that the orderly untangled Ganduje’s shoelace to “ensure his safety”.

He said contrary to what was being reported, Ganduje treats his aides and domestic workers with utmost respect.

Aminu said, “The short video is just an evidence of how cordial the relationship between Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his aides is. This is a man who always has smile on his face.

“All his aides and domestic workers feel at home near His Excellency. The public can vet for Ganduje’s friendliness and respect for those working under him.

“Those who know His Excellency can tell you that he is one of the most decent political leaders in Nigeria. I have worked with him for almost ten years. He treats me as his biological son. This is a man who doesn’t believe in sycophancy or ego-massaging.

“The video is being circulated by mischief makers who want introduce the public to a new controversy to achieve a political point. The public should outrightly disregard the claim.

“But surely this will not diminish Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s popularity. He had served the people of Kano State very well and now he is serving his country.

“The opposition is not happy that His Excellency has injected exceptional vitality into the APC. The party is gathering momentum especially with the governor of Delta, Sheriff Oborevwori and Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, Ifeanyi Okowa’s defection to the APC.”