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The Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has asked the Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, to resign his position if he can no longer align politically with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Waiya made the remarks during a live radio programme with Muhasa Radio while responding to questions on the deputy governor’s reported decision to remain loyal to the Kwankwasiyya political movement led by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, despite the governor’s recent political realignment.
The commissioner argued that political divergence at the highest level of government could undermine trust and effective governance, especially given the deputy governor’s role as Commissioner for Higher Education.
“What we are hoping for, just as we saw with some commissioners who felt uncomfortable 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 noted that governance requires cohesion and shared ideology, warning that mistrust could arise if a senior official remained in government 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 suggested that political ambition could be influencing the deputy governor’s position, noting that Kano politics remains highly competitive.
“Many people have aspirations, including to become governor. There is nothing wrong with ambition, but if interests begin to conflict with the direction of government, the most honourable option is to step aside and pursue those goals independently,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that the decision ultimately rests with the deputy governor, acknowledging that remaining in office is a personal choice.
“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 and faced my political journey clearly,” Waiya stated.
He further emphasised that the administration remains focused on what he described as the “Kano First” agenda, insisting that loyalty to the state’s development objectives must come before personal or factional interests.
