By Abba Anwar
First and foremost, it is against the very philosophy and principle behind the formation of All Progressives Congress (APC), from day one, an amalgamation of different political interests coming together with a common goal and purpose. To uproot the then party in power, People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
That philosophy, that principle, should be maintained across board, as the party, APC, has been on the throne for over a decade now. It was the breakaway from the original philosophy that played an important role in pushing the party to where it is now, in Kano state.
It was made public that there were controversial allegations of diverting public funds between 2020 and 2023, totalling N57,433,981,816.00, which subsequently led to the prosecution of the former Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Deputy Gubernatorial candidate for 2023 election in Kano, His Excellency Murtala Sule Garo, by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission before a Kano State High Court.
It was in the charge sheet, dated 29th July, 2024. The act, according to established laws, is contrary to the provisions of Sections 97, 309 and 315 of the Penal Code (as amended), Cap. 105, Vol. 2, Laws of Kano State, 1991. And as cited by the complainant, it was a breach of Section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).
Let me go to the technicalities of the matter at hand, before advancing my argument, not on the issue in court, but on the political circumstances massaging the process of our political realities here in Kano.
But before delving into that, show me a prominent politician in Nigeria, yes across all the six geopolitical zones, who has no corruption allegations hovering around his or her neck, I will show you a liar. It has been a common principle, known to all that, an accused is innocent until proven otherwise by a competent court of justice.
In the Kano State High Court, before Hon Justice Sanusi Ado Magaji of High Court No. I5 Miller Road, Complex, Kano, in a ruling dated 30th June, 2025 and as issued as a True Certified Copy, also dated 4th February, 2026, on an issue before the High Court between Kano State Government as the Complainant and Murtala Sule Garo and others as Defendants, after stating the historical content of the issue at hand and after depending on several authorities, judgements /rulings in previous circumstances and references, the Hon Justice ruled that,
“I must humbly adopt the profound statement of the law as mine in respect of this instant case. I hold that the Complainant, herein cannot investigate any issue that borders on corruption or corrupt practices. Predicated of the above statement the charge herein filed by the Complainant is HEREBY STRUCK OUT (emphasis mine). The Defendants are accordingly DISCHARGED (emphasis mine).”
Though there is an appeal of the ruling by the state, but as some observers argue or assess, it could be possible and easy to say the case, as it stands before the state government, is not seriously handled. Maybe another way of saying it, it looks as if the state is contemplating withdrawing the case, because of reasons best known to the state. This is the legal aspect of Garo’s issue at hand.
Coming down to other aspects or areas, it still sounds odd and strange to see that APC people or at best heavyweights in Kano, are still in the stone age of political practice. Before His Excellency the Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf joined APC, there were serious crises amongst leadership and followership. Within the leadership circle and within the followership circle, there were internal face-offs, fracas, which necessitated a well positioning of the party into another round of political Waterloo.
I wonder what kind of hateful and destructive political practices old APC members are engaged in. If and only if, old APC people will continue this way, what can stop Governor Yusuf from treating them as political toys. Fortunately for APC, Governor Yusuf isn’t an autocratic leader. Neither is he a dictator. If I were the governor, I would still help the party, especially the old circle, to be one and indivisible. Your Excellency Sir if you do that, history will not forget you forever.
After all the necessary assessments and closer observation of the APC juggernauts, Presidency believes that, at this era of political alignment and realignment, especially when the vacancy of a Deputy Governor, emerges in Kano, there are potential suitors, but the best of them all, is Murtala Sule Garo.
Hence, I heard from a very reliable source that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, pleaded with Governor Yusuf to accept Garo as his Deputy. If I were the Governor, henceforth I would not spend more than 24 hours without Garo’s nomination to the State House of Assembly. Presidential request na whose mate? Laughter. My able governor is aware that he has many requests to be forwarded to the Presidency from now to election period and beyond. Dabara ta rage ga mai shiga rijiya.
It sounds odd and sometimes unbelievable to say His Excellency, Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Barau I Jibrin, CFR, is principally a force behind the delay. It doesn’t sound musical to the ears. I said this because I knew what the relationship between Garo and the Senator was at the early days of the current political dispensation. Very cordial and healthy. From the beginning of this fourth republic, which started from 1999.
Before his Senatorial seat, Jibrin was a member of the House of Representatives, from Tarauni federal constituency. After that, he followed his ancestors from paternal side and traced back to Kabo local government, from where he got the right and the advantage to contest for Kano North Senatorial zone and later became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
When Garo was the Chairman of Kabo local government, he facilitated and issued the Senator with an indigenous Certificate of Kabo local government. Since then, there was a gentleman’s arrangement between the two, that Jibrin would contest for gubernatorial position and Garo would contest for Senatorial seat. But as Allah planned hitherto, Jibrin contested for the Senatorial seat and won. I can still remember vividly that, then I was with the Hotline Magazine and Pan African News Agency.
Garo was Jibrin’s Director General of Campaign in two different elections, 2015 and 2019. So I am utterly confused when I heard that Senator Jibrin is presently against Garo’s nomination as a Deputy Governor. Looking at the antecedents, it could be much proper to see DSP in the forefront lobbying for the seat for Garo. Without even the involvement of Mr President. This should be the practice, in a normal and healthy political practice. Anything short of this, to me, is a negation of many good things. I am still in a state of mental confusion. Still asking myself, can the DSP be that low?
For the Governor, yes he has all the right to choose from many interested individuals, yet he should take it at the back of his mind that, whatever choice he makes, the result, output and repercussions, will definitely bounce back at him. He either gets an apple or bitter lemon after cultivation. This is the fact and this is the comfortable or uncomfortable reality.
And the way I see it, Garo is not desperate about it. He isn’t so desperate to become a Deputy Governor. My view, I stand to be corrected. As it is now, former Governors and former Deputy Governors are still benefiting from him, from many standpoints.
Garo, unlike former Deputy Governor and Gubernatorial candidate under the platform of APC in 2023 election, His Excellency Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who after he lost 2023 election was appointed, Chairman Governing Board, Bayero University, Kano and Chairman Board of Directors of Mortgage Bank, exited from APC recently to African Democratic Congress (ADC), in search of more political breathing space, Garo remains in the party without any appointment, whatsoever.
All along, nowhere was it reported that Garo was castigating the party at either state or national level. Now a vacancy arises, and the space is naturally available without any effort from anybody. Who then is in the best position to be compensated? If not Garo, who?
What I suggest our leaders should bear in mind is the fact that, so long they will continue to be in disarray, deconstructing each other, forgetting the marriage of convenience as the philosophy behind the formation of the party APC, ab initio, their political objectives and interest will remain in danger. Whatever that means.
Fruition of the relationship between and among old APC leadership and followership and that of the Governor with his new party, APC, is just like the two sides of a coin, that face different directions, but must stay together.
Anwar writes from Kano
Sunday 5th April, 2026