The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim has dismissed allegations of a N1.8 billion fund mismanagement by the immediate past Head of Service, Abdullahi Musa describing the claims as misinformation.

The clarification follows a directive issued by Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf during the May Day celebrations, instructing the SSG to investigate the matter and uncover the facts.

A statement issued by Governor’s Chief Press Secretary Mustapha Muhammad on Saturday revealed that during the Workers Day, Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress Kano State, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa alleged that immediate past Head of Service had mismanaged state funds.

According to the release, Alhaji Ibrahim made this known during a Dinner and Award Night organised by the State Government in collaboration with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the Government House, Kano on Saturday.

The SSG explained that the N1.8 billion in question was not mismanaged by government officials, but was instead identified as excessive charges deducted from civil servants’ salaries by loan vendors.

Upon the Governor’s directive, the SSG’s office engaged professional auditing firm to scrutinize the state’s payroll system and the accounts of the affected civil servants for the period under review.

Alhaji Ibrahim confirmed that the loan scheme was temporarily suspended to allow for this thorough investigation.

He said the audit revealed that several loan vendors had been charging workers rates far above their original contractual agreements.

Alhaji Ibrahim disclosed that the private auditing firm found that vendors had illegally accrued over N1.8 billion from civil servants through these overcharges.

The SSG revealed that based on these findings, the State Government has officially directed the loan vendors to return the N1.8 billion and it would be shared among the affected civil servants accordingly..

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has categorically denied that any final decision has been made regarding his political future, even as a close ally told reporters that he and fellow opposition leader Peter Obi plan to defect from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Monday.

In a statement issued in the late hours of Saturday, the former governor and 2023 presidential candidate acknowledged “wide-ranging consultations” with leaders from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and others to explore options for protecting their democratic interests.

The clarification comes after Buba Galadima, a key Kwankwaso ally, disclosed to newsmen on Saturday, May 2, 2026, that both Kwankwaso and Obi would leave the ADC for a new political platform on Monday.

Kwankwaso cited multiple legal challenges facing the ADC, including a recent Federal High Court ruling that “delegitimised the party’s recent convention” and an application by the Attorney General of the Federation to deregister the party.

“We left the NNPP due to externally influenced legal problems that made our stay perilous,” Kwankwaso said. “The ADC has now been also forced into this difficulty.”

Regarding presidential ambitions, Kwankwaso noted that the ADC has yet to zone its presidential ticket or take any decision on a candidate. “I have therefore neither declared any intention to run for president nor endorsed any aspirant,” he stated.

His absence from two recent ADC stakeholders’ meetings, he said, was due to “unavoidable personal commitments” for which he had apologised to party leadership.

A definitive position on his political direction will be announced “in the soonest possible time,” he added.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced that aspirants seeking its presidential ticket for the 2027 general elections will pay N100 million for nomination forms, as the party released its detailed primary election timetable on Sunday.

In a press statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party outlined a fee structure that places the ADC among Nigeria’s costliest political platforms. Aspirants for governor will pay N50 million, while those seeking a Senate seat will pay N20 million. Candidates for the House of Representatives will be required to pay N10 million, and State House of Assembly aspirants will pay N3 million.

To encourage wider participation, the ADC introduced concessional rates: a 50 percent discount for youths and a 25 percent discount for women and persons with disabilities.

The party’s 2026 primary elections will begin on May 21 with simultaneous ward-level elections for State Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate seats. Governorship primaries follow on May 22, and the presidential primary is scheduled for May 25.

A Special National Convention on May 27 will ratify all candidates.

The timetable requires aspirants to collect application forms from April 1 to May 4, purchase nomination forms from May 5 to May 10, and submit completed documents by May 13. Screening runs from May 14 to May 15, with appeals heard May 18–19 and a final cleared aspirants list on May 20.

The ADC urged strict compliance with the party constitution and the Electoral Act, positioning itself as “the primary platform for Nigerians seeking competent, accountable, and people-focused leadership in 2027.”