By Abdulgafar Oladimeji

The immediate past governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called on public and private sector business operators past governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called on public and private sector business operators to embark on massive investments in grassroots sports development programmes as a tool to empower Nigerian youths and diversify the economy.

The former governor, who is the grand patron of Ganduje Babes FC, said that the development of young athletes, provision of adequate and quality sports infrastructure, alongside major sponsorships of grassroots sports events, are among the foremost approaches through which Nigeria’s human and capital development agenda can be further achieved.

Speaking when he received the players and officials of the Nationwide League One (NLO) side, Gandujiyya Babes, who paid him a courtesy visit, Ganduje thanked the management of the club for their persistence and consistency in running the affairs of the club since its inception a decade ago.

He decried the austerity pattern that had recently trailed the disbursement of support funds to amateur football clubs in Kano, reassuring NLO clubs in the state that with the latest political realignments, they would now witness a new regime in terms of monetary and moral support to clubs affiliated with the NLO Kano Forum.

He lamented that since he left office as the executive governor of the state, the forum was deprived of the annual support funds and intervention funding that had in the past been disbursed to the clubs to ensure they carried on with their activities without disruptions to their calendar.

Ganduje admitted that he is aware of the constraints presently confronting NLO clubs domiciled in the state, stating that with the new political alliance that has brought him and the incumbent Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, together, he pledged to intervene to make sure the situation is reversed. This, he said, is to help breathe life back into the activities of NLO football clubs operating in the state.

He then appealed to operators in the public and private sectors of the economy to invest more in grassroots sports promotion and development programmes.

He pointed out that the global sports sector is the fastest-growing economy, saying that in Kano and Nigeria at large, the grassroots sports sector deserves massive commercial and social investments in tandem with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said that under his tenure as the executive governor of the state, huge resources were invested in the sector with the motive of helping Kano youths pursue and realize their sports aspirations. He stated that hope is not lost, since he harbors confidence in the reliable commitment and vigor of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to pursue any project that will impact the lives of Kano youths, assuring that better days await grassroots sports activities in the state.

The chairman of Ganduje Babes FC, Ibrahim Usman Arzai, applauded the former governor for his support to the club since its creation 10 years ago, adding that Ganduje’s close confidant, Comrade Mohammed Garba, had always provided solid grounds for the club to survive tough times by rendering financial support.

He said the club was created to help recruit youths from all the 44 local governments of the state with the motive of empowering them, disclosing that plans are underway for the club to embark on an awareness tour of the 44 local governments to sensitize the youths on the new sports agenda of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

He disclosed that hundreds of Kano youths have benefited from the development initiative programmes implemented under the aegis of Gandujiyya Babes FC.

He then presented the newly recruited head coach of the club, Muhammad Inuwa Baba, to the grand patron.

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has recovered official vehicles from commissioners who voluntarily resigned from the state executive council.

The recovery exercise, carried out by operatives of the commission on Thursday, followed the alleged continued refusal of the affected commissioners to return the government property.

The concerned persons are Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Umar (retd), former Commissioner for Internal Security; Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Commissioner for Youth and Sports; Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofar Mata, former Commissioner for Science and Technology; Dr. Adamu Aliyu Kibiya, former Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs; and Hon. Nasiru Sani Garo, former Commissioner for Special Projects.

Briefing journalists shortly after the recovery exercise, the Chairman of the Commission, Sa’idu Yahaya, who led the operation, said the action became necessary after the former commissioners failed to comply with repeated official requests to return government assets.

Yahaya disclosed that the operation was prompted by formal complaints and notification from the Office of the Secretary to the Kano State Government, being the custodian of all government vehicles,
regarding alleged abuse of office and the urgent need for the former officials to return all government property in their possession upon resignation.

The chairman further alleged that some of the commissioners said to have sold the official vehicles shortly after leaving office.

“Government assets are not personal property. Once an official leaves office, all government vehicles and assets in their custody must be returned immediately.

“They were advised to return the vehicles to avoid a situation like this, but they refused, leaving us with no alternative but to take action. We followed due process and secured a court order, which was duly granted, to recover the vehicles.”

He added, “So far, we have recovered five vehicles from the five commissioners. However, only two of the vehicles recovered are the exact official vehicles purchased by the government. The other three are not the original vehicles.

“Investigation revealed that the official vehicles had been sold and replaced with other vehicles, which we also recovered. We will launch a full scale investigation to determine whether the official vehicles were sold to procure these ones or otherwise,” Yahaya said.

The anti-corruption boss dismissed suggestions that the action was politically motivated, insisting that the commission’s intervention was strictly in line with its statutory responsibility to safeguard public property.

“This is not about witch-hunting anyone. It is about protecting the resources of the people of Kano State. We will not tolerate any form of misconduct or unlawful retention of government property,” he said.

He further warned that the commission would sustain surveillance on the use and custody of public assets, stressing that similar measures would be taken against any official found to be in breach of asset return regulations.

“Public trust depends on transparency and accountability. We are determined to strengthen both, and we will take appropriate action against anyone found mismanaging or unlawfully holding government property,” Yahaya added.

Meanwhile, a retired senior civil servant, Mohammad Tukur, clarified the administrative position on the matter, stating that no existing law permits a commissioner to retain an official vehicle after serving in the cabinet.

Tukur explained that government policy provides official vehicles to commissioners solely to enable them carry out their official duties.

“No law guarantees commissioners the right to keep government vehicles at the end of a successful tenure, whether they are sacked or resign from office,” he said.

He, however, noted that the governor reserves the executive power and discretion to permit any official to retain a vehicle after leaving office.

“Under administrative policy, what commissioners are entitled to upon leaving office are certain allowances, not official vehicles. Even then, any commissioner who is sacked or resigns from the cabinet may not be entitled to those severance packages,” Tukur explained.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed January 16, 2027, as the new date for the presidential and national assembly elections.

The commission also fixed February 6, 2027, as the date for governorship and state houses of assembly election.

Mohammed Haruna, national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, announced the new election timetable in a statement issued on Thursday.

The electoral body had earlier fixed February 20, 2027, for the presidential and national assembly elections and March 6, 2027, for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections but was forced to review the schedule following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026.