Kano deputy gov Gwarzo under impeachment pressure as Yusuf’s defection reshapes power balance

Political fault lines have deepened in Kano State following Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s resignation from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and his imminent move to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a development that has left Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo politically exposed and facing the possibility of impeachment.

The governor’s decision, announced on Friday, triggered a mass defection that has rapidly altered the state’s political balance. No fewer than 22 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives and all 44 local government chairmen elected on the NNPP platform resigned their membership of the party alongside the governor. All are expected to formally register with the APC today.

While most members of the State Executive Council have pledged loyalty to Governor Yusuf and followed him to the ruling party, the deputy governor has remained in the NNPP and publicly reaffirmed his allegiance to the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement and former Kano governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Other senior government officials who have declined to defect include the Head of Service, Abdullahi Musa; the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Adamu Aliyu Kibiya; and the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Yusuf Ibrahim Kofarmata.

According to Daily Trust Newspaper, a senior aide to the governor disclosed that loyal lawmakers in the House of Assembly were weighing the option of initiating impeachment proceedings against the deputy governor if he refuses to resign after the defection process is completed.

According to the aide, an earlier strategy was to remove Governor Yusuf and install Gwarzo as governor when the defection plot was first conceived. That plan reportedly collapsed after Kwankwaso uncovered it and many lawmakers involved shifted their loyalty to Yusuf.

“With the governor now in control of the House, the thinking is that the same numerical strength could be used to remove the deputy governor if he continues to align with Kwankwaso,” the source said.

Attempts by Daily Trust to obtain reactions from the spokespersons of both the governor and the deputy governor were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

Observers note that although the affected commissioners have continued to attend Executive Council meetings, they have stayed away from the governor’s public engagements since the defection process began. Instead, they have been seen attending political activities organised by Kwankwaso.

A source close to the administration said the officials had not been sidelined but were exercising caution to avoid political tension.

“They don’t want to be exposed to attacks from either side. It’s a personal decision to keep a low profile,” the source said.

Governor Yusuf, however, appears to have consolidated firm control over the House of Assembly. Among the 22 lawmakers who resigned from the NNPP are Speaker Jibril Ismail Falgore, Deputy Speaker Muhammad Bello Butu Butu, Majority Leader Lawan Hussain and Chief Whip Muddasir Ibrahim Zawachiki.

With 13 existing APC members already in the Assembly, the defection of the 22 lawmakers would give the ruling party a commanding majority of 35 members, making it easier for any legislative action supported by the governor to succeed.

Kano has experienced a similar political episode before. In August 2018, former deputy governor Hafiz Abubakar resigned following a breakdown in relations with then governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, after lawmakers initiated impeachment moves against him.

Political analysts say Gwarzo’s political future will largely depend on his conduct in the coming weeks. Dr Kabiru Sufi said the deputy governor’s continued absence from official functions and his open alignment with Kwankwasiyya activities could provide justification for legislative action.

“If he continues to distance himself from government business, the House may feel compelled to act,” Sufi said, adding that the executive arm could also influence proceedings if the situation is seen as destabilising.

Another analyst, Adnan Mukhtar Tudunwada, said the deputy governor’s choices were limited. “He will either resign or be impeached. First, he will be sidelined and denied effective access to power,” he said.

However, Kabir Yunusa Buhari offered a different perspective, suggesting that Gwarzo could emerge as Kwankwaso’s next governorship candidate if the NNPP decides to rally around him.

In a statement on Sunday, Governor Yusuf’s spokesperson confirmed that the governor would formally register with the APC today. The statement said Yusuf’s return to the party was informed by governance realities, national cohesion and the need for closer cooperation with the Federal Government.

The statement added that the move would accelerate development and improve service delivery in Kano State.

Amid the unfolding political drama, Commissioner Kofarmata resigned on Sunday, citing concerns that the prevailing political atmosphere could compromise his independence and objectivity. Meanwhile, Commissioner Kibiya reaffirmed his loyalty to Kwankwaso, even as the governor relieved his political adviser, Sunusi Surajo Kwankwaso, of his appointment.