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As Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, formalised his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, his deputy, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, has been thrust into a complex political situation following his refusal to follow his principal to the ruling party at the centre.
According to the immediate past Deputy Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, Gwarzo would have to navigate a precarious political terrain which could culminate in his impeachment.
Ketso, in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP, said that while the governor and his deputy might attempt to manage their relationship maturely, other political actors would likely come between them.
Gwarzo declined to join Yusuf, who defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC yesterday. The governor moved to the ruling party alongside 22 state lawmakers, eight federal legislators, 44 local government chairmen and 484 councillors.
The 22 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, during Monday’s plenary, formally announced their defection to the ruling APC.
Previously, the House had 24 NNPP members and 14 APC members. Two NNPP lawmakers died recently.
Out of the 24 NNPP members, 22 defected with the governor to the APC, raising the number of APC members in the Assembly to 36, leaving two vacant seats and two NNPP members.
Yusuf and Gwarzo enjoyed a political partnership which saw the governor retain Gwarzo as his running mate in the 2019 election they contested under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the 2023 election which they won under the NNPP platform.
Before then, Gwarzo served as Commissioner for State Affairs from 2011 to 2015 under Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Earlier, he was chairman of Gwarzo Local Government Area in 1996, and again from 1999 to 2003 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Rabiu Kwankwaso was governor of the state.
The deputy governor is a staunch member of the Kwankwasiyya political movement.
Ex-deputy Governor, ACF, Others React
Speaking to LEADERSHIP yesterday, a former Niger State Deputy Governor, Ketso, said the decision of the Kano Deputy Governor to remain in the NNPP presents a very delicate situation for both governance and politics in the state.
Drawing from experience, he said, “Even if the governor and his deputy try to manage and cope, the people around them will fuel mutual suspicion and mistrust that could degenerate into serious friction.
“I do not know exactly what the Constitution says about this, but what I know is that they came in on a joint ticket. The question is: what role will the House of Assembly play in all this? They may move towards the impeachment process.
“If I were in that position, and based on principle I could not defect with the governor, I would rather resign before the House of Assembly is instigated to impeach me,” he added.
Ketso, however, recalled that in Sokoto State, a governor and his deputy were able to manage their differences until the end of the administration.
He stressed that unless the governor and his deputy decide to act maturely, others would come between them.
Noting that the tenure in Kano was still far from ending, with more than one year remaining, Ketso said the “situation is complex for the deputy governor”.
Calls and messages sent to the deputy governor’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Shuiabu, to ascertain the reasons for his boss’s decision not to follow his principal to the APC were not responded to.
A close source to the deputy governor, who did not want his name mentioned, affirmed that the deputy governor remains in the NNPP.
The source maintained that the deputy governor also remains in office.
Meanwhile, the apex northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has warned political actors in Kano State to tread carefully so as not to plunge the state into political chaos.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP on the telephone, ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, said the refusal of the Kano State deputy governor to follow his boss into the APC should not lead to a crisis or impeachment.
He said, “In the Kano parliament, I understand that the governor does not have an absolute majority in the State House of Assembly to remove his deputy. Removing the deputy governor would be a very sad day for democracy.
“Kano is a hot box of matches when it comes to politics. If the government and the APC do not handle this carefully, it could lead to serious problems.”
He added that political actors should avoid actions that could plunge the state into crisis, warning that both the Kwankwaso camp and the APC were flexing their muscles.
“They will frustrate the deputy governor in every way — refuse to fund his office, exclude him from activities — but they should tread very, very carefully. Personal ambition should not lead to political chaos in Kano.
“The common man is already suffering enough. He should not be made to suffer more,” the ACF spokesman said.
Also reacting, President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Bitrus Porgu, described the matter as constitutional, noting that the National Assembly must address existing gaps in the law.
He said Nigeria’s constitution is inadequate regarding governors defecting while retaining office, and advised the National Assembly to strengthen the laws to prevent such occurrences.
“Our laws are too loose, allowing people to defect based on convenience. Any governor, senator or president who wants to defect should first resign,” he said.
Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Gboko Branch, Felix Zahemen Uwar, Esq, said the refusal of Kano Deputy Governor Gwarzo to defect was not grounds for his office to be threatened.
Uwar maintained that the deputy governor has the constitutional right to freedom of association, stressing that defection is not among the conditions listed for removal from office under Sections 180, 188 and 189 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He cited the case of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whose defection did not warrant removal by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
APC stalwart Jonathan Vatsa said governors had defected without their deputies in the past without major problems, but warned that Kano’s strategic political importance requires caution.
North-Central Coordinator of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Steve Aluko, said that if the NNPP approaches the courts and pursues the matter diligently, the deputy governor could assume office if the mandate is upheld as belonging to the party.
Why I Joined APC – Gov. Yusuf
Meanwhile, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said his defection to the APC was driven by the need to secure stability, progress and development for Kano State.
He said aligning with the ruling party at the centre would enhance cooperation, access and effective governance.
“This decision is not driven by personal ambition but by the overriding interest of our people,” he said.
