The Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has called on Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo to step down if he can no longer align politically with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Waiya made the appeal during a live programme on Muhasa Radio, addressing reports that the deputy governor continues to maintain loyalty to the Kwankwasiyya political movement led by former Kano State governor and NNPP national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, despite Governor Yusuf’s recent political realignment.
The commissioner warned that political divergence at the highest level of government could undermine trust, cohesion, and effective governance, particularly given Gwarzo’s dual role as Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Higher Education.
“What we are hoping for, just as we saw with some commissioners who felt uncomfortable with the new political direction and resigned, is that the deputy governor should also take an honourable step if he is no longer on the same political path with the governor,” Waiya said.
He stressed that governance thrives on unity of purpose and shared ideology, noting that mistrust could arise if a senior government official remains in office while pursuing a different political direction.
“If you sit in an Executive Council meeting where people are discussing how to build Kano and there is suspicion about where such discussions may end up, then there is a problem. Governance is about trust,” he added.
Waiya further suggested that personal political ambition may be influencing the deputy governor’s stance, observing that Kano’s political space is highly competitive.
“Many people have ambitions, including the ambition to become governor. There is nothing wrong with having ambition. However, when personal interests begin to conflict with the direction of government, the most honourable option is to step aside and pursue those goals independently,” he said.
While emphasising that the final decision rests with Gwarzo, the commissioner noted that remaining in office under such circumstances carries moral and political implications.
“It is his decision. If he believes he can continue to work with the governor under the present circumstances, then that is fine. But if I were in that position, I would have left the office and faced my political journey clearly and openly,” Waiya said.
He also reiterated that the Yusuf administration remains committed to its ‘Kano First’ agenda, asserting that loyalty to the state’s development objectives must supersede personal ambition or factional allegiance.
“Our focus is Kano. Anyone serving in this administration must put the interests of the state first, above personal or factional considerations,” he concluded.
Kano Commissioner Urges Deputy Governor to Resign Over Political Divergence
