Former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, has expressed his confusion over his recent removal from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Gwarzo stated that President Tinubu justified the decision by saying that Kano had too many political appointees and required some reduction in representation.
However, Gwarzo emphasized that he was neither accused of any misconduct nor found lacking in his duties, suggesting that external influences may have contributed to the President’s choice to dismiss him.
Gwarzo also revealed that after being notified of the upcoming decision, he and others offered recommendations for a potential replacement, but these were disregarded.
He argued that Nasir Gawuna, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for governor in Kano during the 2023 elections, should have been considered to represent Kano Central in the federal cabinet.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Gwarzo said, “I was surprised because I hadn’t been found guilty of any wrongdoing or poor performance. I was serving as a minister of state, while the senior minister managed most of the ministry’s responsibilities.”
He continued, “Before it was made public, the President informed me of his decision, explaining that Kano North had too many political appointees and needed rebalancing.
“We offered our suggestions, but they were not accepted. I started to suspect that other factors were involved because this reason seemed inadequate.”
Gwarzo further argued that if the ministerial role was indeed reassigned to Kano Central, then Gawuna, as the region’s APC leader, should have been the top choice unless he declined, in which case the position could go to someone else.
He pointed out that other APC candidates who had contested governorships in states like Plateau and Zamfara were given roles, unlike the situation in Kano.