Finally, the much anticipated cabinet reshuffle by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came, resulting in the sacking of five Ministers, appointing seven and redeploying ten.

While cabinet reshuffle is an age long strategy for maintaining leadership balance, addressing underperformance and appraising performance metrics and consolidating hold on power, the downside to a misstep may garner far reaching consequences including loss of valuable expertise and experience, disruption of ongoing projects, demotivation of performers and ultimately ridiculing government image and credibility.

Considering Nigeria’s complex political dynamics, one may excuse why so many incompetent and non performing Ministers in the Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” administration were spared, but it falls short of expectation that loyal, politically relevant and technocratically accurate Minister’s will be thrown under the bus.

For example, while in Nigeria, a Minister of State is a junior minister who assists the minister in overseeing specific department, agencies or projects within the ministry, and also coordinating with the principal minister, other ministers and key stakeholders – ensuring representation of the principal minister in various capacities, I am yet to know the failure of people like His Excellency Abdullah Tijjani Gwarzo, that will warrant him being summarily thrown under the bus.

An accomplished gentleman and astute grassroots politician who grew through the ranks from Local Government Chairman all the way to Deputy Governor, State Party Chairman and Minister and one of the rare political leaders in Kano State that has good relationship with everyone, A.T. Gwarzo’s accomplishments in his ministry of assignment is not debatable.

The man has woven experience and expertise together in repurposing his mandate in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda since his inauguration as the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development on Monday, August 21, 2023.

Together with the Honourable Minister Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, he developed a roadmap to revitalize the housing and urban development sector, leading to the formation of four reform task teams in the newly reestablished Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which had previously been part of the Ministry of Works and Housing.

Additionally, they launched the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates program, which has begun in about thirteen states and the FCT, generating an average of 6,250 jobs per site.

H.E. A.T. Gwarzo led the ministry’s delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai in December 2023, where he delivered Nigeria’s address at the Ministerial Meeting. He also headed the country’s delegation to the African Urban Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from September 4-6, 2024.

H.E ATM Gwarzo led the country’s delegation to a bilateral meeting in Madrid Spain with NYESA VALORES CORPORATION S.A on a partnership to develop the Nigeria Social Housing program and the establishment of Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs on 8th October, 2024.

He also participated at the Munich Housing Expo in Munich, Germany, on 9-10 October where he presented the gigantic strides in the Nigerian housing sector and called for collaboration with international partners in that regard, with many international companies expressing interest to invest in the Nigerian housing and urban development sector.

He was instrumental, alongside the honourable minister Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, in bringing about the technical forum on the 2024 Review of Compensation of rates for crops and economic trees, the first in sixteen years, which sought an upward review of the rates, the forum was held on 21-22 October, 2024.

As a member of the Federal Executive Council, the Minister of State has actively participated in all council meetings over the past year. He has also represented the President at various official functions during this time.

Furthermore, he facilitated the enrollment of thousands of Kano State indigenes into the Presidential Conditional Grant Program of the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industries, and coordinated the efficient distribution of food palliatives through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

Again, I ask, with all these accomplishments and more up his sleeves, where is A.T. Gwarzo’s failure?

Notably, H.E. A.T. Gwarzo was replaced with another candidate from Kano, even if this move is dissected through the lense of political correctness, it beggars belief how Ogun, South Western Nigeria has four Minister’s while Kano the biggest political base of the North has only two. Unless there is a “yorubanisation” undertone to this, Kano deserves the honor of having at least three ministers if not four like Ogun. The retention of A.T. Gwarzo and the addition of the new candidate. This in my opinion would have been the best option for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While arguments of marginalisation is rife in the light of the debate that the State Minister for Housing is from Kano North where Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin and APC National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje hails from, it is also arguable that the Jigawa ministerial nominee from Babura is from the same local government with the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, thus, where delivery, loyalty and value is requisite, such arguments cannot hold water.

Granted that Ministerial sack or cabinet reshuffle is a prerogative of the President, he owes Nigerians an explanation as to why the absence of failure is being penalised. His Special Adviser on Policy Coordination Hadiza Bala Usman aka “head girl” can do this on his behalf.

While at it, the internal working mechanisms of the President should understand that A.T. Gwarzo is not just a man representing Kano North, he is a household name that represents Kano, North West and by extension Northern Nigeria. The former ACN governorship candidate has an unrivaled acceptance in the nook and cranny of Kano and the North, so relegating his representation and value to Kano North alone is arrantly ridiculous.

This is a man who from time immemorial is always at the forefront of defending the interest of the president even to the detriment of his own interest and ambition. It is on record that the National leader of the Kwankwasiya movement in Kano, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso ferociously fought his senatorial ambition because he did the bidding of Tinubu during the APC primaries that produced Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

If one must talk about performance, as a state minister, A.T. Gwarzo is sterling in comparison to people like Ibrahim Geidam, the retained minister of police affairs.

Again I ask, where is A.T. Gwarzo’s failure and why was he affected? Even though I have it on authoritative grounds that he was removed due to sectional arguments raised by the Deputy President of the Senate, which ended up convincing President Tinubu, I like to think that his independent mind must have told him by now that he made the wrong move.

This is definitely one of the wrong calculations made by President Tinubu and he should make no mistakes about it, “Ruwa Baba” as he is popularly called is very much loved and revered by the people of Kano State. He is a grassroots politician of note whose visibility is all over Kano State not restricted to a Senatorial District.

President Tinubu can do better by appointing Yusuf Ata without sacking Abdullahi Gwarzo. For the umpteenth time, with its indisputable contribution to Tinubu’s emergence, Kano deserves the same honor as Ogun.

We therefore beseech President Tinubu to recant on Gwarzo’s sack and reconsider recalling him with immediate effect. By doing so, Tinubu will not be the first leader to recall a valuable appointee.

During World War II, Winston Churchill, Britain’s Prime Minister, sacked his trusted ally and friend, Lord Beaverbrook, from his position as Minister of Aircraft Production in 1941 over policy disagreement and personality clashes. Beaverbrook advocated for prioritizing aircraft production over other war efforts and his demanding nature conflicted with other cabinet members.

However, upon realising that Aircraft production declined significantly after Beaverbrook’s departure, Churchill recognized Beaverbrook’s exceptional organizational skills and leadership and 1942, Churchill reappointed Beaverbrook as Minister of Supply, leveraging his expertise.

Similarly, Napoleon Bonaparte once briefly exiled Marshal Davout during the French Revolutionary Wars due to perceived disloyalty. Recognizing Davout’s military genius, Napoleon reinstated him, leading to crucial victories.

Modern-day applications of rehiring valuable individuals can be seen in various sectors; in business, companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft have rehired former employees or executives, leveraging their expertise and institutional knowledge. Similarly, politicians like US President Joe Biden have reappointed experienced officials, such as Janet Yellen as Treasury Secretary, to tackle complex economic challenges.

This strategy fosters continuity, stability and innovation. It ensures leaders prioritize talent, expertise and results, driving success in diverse fields enabling them to acknowledge and understand the importance of surrounding themselves with valuable individuals.

It also demonstrates examples of leaders recognizing and correcting mistakes, prioritizing effectiveness over personal differences.

While Tinubu must have definitely misfired in sacking T. Gwarzo, like other great leaders of his, we urge the President to recant and re-appointed the man whose performance is largely perceived by the general public and his constituents failure of which may affect the APC’s electoral prospects in upcoming polls.

It is still not too late for the President to reverse his decision in the interest of the people and his future in the politics of Kano. I dare say, H.E. A.T. Gwarzo has no failure.

Adnan Mukhtar is a political commentator and university lecturer. He writes from Abuja.

By Yusuf Muhammad Kawu

Dear President Tinubu,

I am writing to you regarding the future of the girls and young women who suffered horrific abuses in Boko Haram captivity in north-east Nigeria. After they left Boko Haram, many endured further suffering in unlawful military detention. Survivors are now left without adequate access to services. Mr. President, I urge you and your government to take immediate and effective steps to empower these girls and young women by ensuring their access to medical care, education, and livelihood support.

Whilst everyone in north-east Nigeria has been affected by the conflict, girls who became associated with Boko Haram, overwhelmingly through abductions and forced marriages at young ages, have experiences and needs unique to their age and gender. Many, if not all, suffer long-lasting consequences including health complications, lack access to education, and experience stigma and rejection from their families and communities.

Boko Haram used these girls as “wives”, forcibly marrying them, some multiple times, and subjecting them to years of domestic servitude and sexual violence including forced pregnancy. Boko Haram indoctrinated girls and young women into the group’s ideology and forced them to live under strict rules, severely limiting their right to freedom of movement and prohibiting them from leaving the group for fear for their lives. Boko Haram has also forced girls and young women to watch punishments, including beheadings, floggings and limb amputations. Some girls were forcibly converted. Many of the crimes documented by Amnesty International constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Many girls and young women who subsequently escaped Boko Haram returned to government-controlled areas with specific needs. Most survivors interviewed by Amnesty International have been denied access to justice, education, livelihood opportunities including vocational training, and adequate health services including mental health services and sexual and reproductive health care.

Despite some family reunification efforts, the Nigerian government has not taken effective measures to uphold their international human rights obligations to reintegrate these girls and young women. Furthermore, instead of meeting their unique needs, many have been unlawfully detained in military custody in various detention facilities across Borno and Adamawa States.

After years of surviving human rights violations and abuses, the girls and young women Amnesty International spoke with are sending a clear message: they want to rebuild their lives.

Your Excellency President I strongly advice you and your government to take appropriate and effective measures to empower all survivors by ensuring that:
• they have a voluntary medical assessment immediately after leaving Boko Haram, and can access comprehensive and confidential health care services after reintegration;
• they can access government education by making schools across the states and in internally displaced persons camps open and safe, eliminating all costs and fees associated with primary education, and developing programmes aimed at eradicating stigma and discrimination against them;
• vocational and skills training programmes are effective so that they help the girls and young women become financially self-sufficient in the long run.

Sincerely
Amb Yusuf Muhammad Kawu GAS.
Activist, Volunteer, Egalitarian, and Advocate for human rights and good government.

By Abba Anwar

This piece reflects on the opinions and arguments surrounding the survival strategy of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state beyond 2027. Many moves, employed strategies, conspiracy theories and political calculations are, but build ups to 2027.

Believe it or not, APC is still a force to be reckoned with in Kano. Whether Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is a National Chairman of the party or not, his consolidation of solid foundation when he captained the affairs of the party for Eight consecutive years as a governor, gives the party a life saving effort, which it still enjoys.

Fragmentation is still in view within the purview of party structures as embedded in the hearts of some party members. And potential members joining the party with genuine intention, as time passes by.

As many envisage, APC’s victory in Kano hangs on the neck of who becomes its gubernatorial flagbearer and his running mate, how candidates are filled in other positions come 2027. Among other factors.

Whether Gawuna /Garo ticket is still relevant or not, only time can tell. Gawuna’s good faith in Allah’s decision during the electioneering campaign up to the election period, in 2023, meant a lot in the victory of the party. That was later scuttled by other conspiracy theories.

His relationship with people when he was Chairman Nasarawa local government reminded many to support his cause. I’m not looking at the local intrigues he faced from his local government.

While Garo’s kind hearted, apart from his trust in Allah’s decision also (as a Muslim, Mu’umin for that matter), his known contributions to human development, who sees man as the centre of development, his sharp political strategy and his style of leadership, when he was Chairman of Kabo local government, among other factors, played important role in the party’s victory, which was later scuttled by other interests in 2023 elections.

For the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin, who for sometimes now, runs helter-skelter struggling for relevance to, according to many opinions, get gubernatorial ticket come 2027, is being paired with Senator Kawu Sumaila. To have Barau /Kawu ticket. Though Kawu is still within the fold of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

As it is now, is only a projection of what can be brought to the limelight. Kawu is indeed a force to be reckon with, in Kano South. No matter from whichever angle you are looking at the prism, Kawu Ba Kanwar Lasa Ba Ne in Kano South.

That is why some people are of the opinion that, Barau/Kawu ticket can make a difference. According to such opinion, Barau’s position as DSP, and Kawu’s political ingenuity, could make comfortable landing for APC come 2027.

These are only views expressed by people within and outside the rank of the party, APC. As related to Gawuna /Garo ticket and Barau/Kawu ticket. And let’s look at Gawuna, Garo, Barau and Kawu in their individual capacities and capabilities.

Gawuna’s great asset, for example, is his turning of all experiences, setbacks and examined opportunities to Almighty Allah.

I’m not interested in some expressed opinions about his direct relationship with his constituency and the issue of those who surround him, from the beginning to date.

Garo’s political asset is his genuine concern about what affects people with the aim of reinforcing them. He means acceptance when he says “yes.” He is not slippery in his words and actions. He too, as a Muslim, he believes Allah controls everything he faces in life.

I’m not also interested in an opinion expressed by some, that he is no longer accessible. For this I refer my reader to an article written by one Labaran Dantala, recently, captioned, “Garo, Still Available, Accessible.”

For Barau, his great asset goes to what he was able to bring to the state, using his position as Deputy Senate President, for re-approving Federal College of Education (FCE), Kano, to Federal University of Education and the creation of North West Development Commission. He too believes, Allah controls everything.

I do not care to look at his miscalculation of accepting cross-carpeters from, especially, Kwankwasiyya faction of NNPP. Who later go back to their roots. His inability to learn lesson from the then Gawuna’s Tsamar Nama operation. I do not also have any interest in what party people blame him of. That is abandoning party members and concentrating on new comers, who add no value to his political ambition.

Kawu’s greatest asset, is his wealth of experience in Kano South political history and politicking. Aramma Kawu as some address him, knows the Power of Allah in controlling everything in life and beyond.

I do not want make any comment about his ferocious postulations when it comes to politics. But some still see this as another great asset for a politician. His membership of NNPP isn’t my area of interest here. So also his being surrounded by ‘Yan Birni is not in my shopping list.

For APC to bounce back stronger and domineering, it is important to look at some handful few legislators, who, by all estimation, do more than expected.

The first and foremost person in this category is Hon Abubakar Kabir Bichi. Chairman House Committee on Appropriation. This is a gentleman who always believes in his constituency first. While doing that, he doesn’t go for other opposition party members. He, instead, takes all along.

Hon Bichi’s strategy of not embracing members of the opposition parties at the detriment of his own party members, earns him greater respect and relevance, more than the Senator representing his area. In clear terms, Hon Bichi is more powerful, in whatever estimation you can see it, than Senator Barau from that end.

Bichi according to the opinions I came across, is not eyeing to become a governor. But his strategy seems to be working far better than Barau who has been eyeing to become a governor.

More Bichis in APC means more chances for the party. Just similar to Garo, Bichi has strong home-based support from his Senatorial district. Garo enjoys such support from across the state. Bichi like Garo has never been a slippery type. He takes and speaks what he can accomplish. Not minding whose ox is gored.

To tame fragmentation at whatever length and by anticipating how hazy the environment could be, some notable youth formed themselves and become a Coalition of Youth within APC. This group did well in reawakening party members on their primary responsibilities.

It is not the interest of this write – up to create confusion where there is none, concerning the primary objective of the Coalition. Mine is just to appreciate the commitment, genuine purpose and open door direction of the Coalition. At the initial stage, I didn’t see them as an amalgamation of value addition elements. But as time passes by, I see hope and strength in them.

Notable among such youth, whose presence serves as beacon of hope are, Adamu Unguwar Gini, Musaddique Wada Waziri, Jijitar, Hon Ja’o’ji, Hon Maiwayo, Danyaro, M. Abdussalam Ishaq (Kumbotso) and even that boy Dini Manchester, among many others, who are numerous to be mentioned here.

I re-assured and re-confirmed to myself that, this engaging Coalition has little or no intention to wreck havoc in the party because of their self – centred interest. Though political activities are always not-interest-free. I doff my hat to them because, nowhere I heard them making disturbing noises as a group so far. Either to the leadership or to the followership. Yes, they have their shortcomings. But for now such does not becloud their immense contributions as re-awakening agents for youth movement.

My view on other dark horse(s) is built upon people’s opinion that, apart from Gawuna /Garo ticket or Gawuna as individual and Garo as individual, Barau/Kawu ticket (if that works), or Barau as an individual or Kawu as an individual, there could emerge a scenario where someone somewhere can just come from the blues and picks the ticket. That, to me, is very unlikely. Though nothing is impossible in politics.

Whether or not APC remains as one indivisible political party come 2027, in Kano, the National Chairman of the party, Dr Ganduje has all it takes to ameliorate, align and realign all existing forces within the party in the state.

As I’m rounding up, I vehemently disagree with handful few opinions, suggesting that, Barau is wasting his time, so long as he thinks he can outshine Baba Ganduje in the scheme of things. If it is true Barau is thinking along that line, I advise him to backslide. Because the situation could be dicey and deceiving.

This piece is not looking at the party leadership, at all levels. From Ward up to state level. Party management is not within the purview of this brief work. This write-up looks at the general opinions of people concerning APC’s victory come 2027 elections. I do not even care to also look at the opposition parties.

Abba Anwar,
Former Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor of Kano State,
2018-2023
Can be reached at fatimanbaba1@gmail.com