Politics

One should’ve overlooked the press briefing by the former Secretary to the Government of Kano State, Alhaji Usman Alhaji under the banner of “APC Patriotic Volunteers”, in which he accused the government of Kano State of lack of clear policy direction, petty sentiments, and incompetence in managing the state affairs. His assessment of the 2-Year NNPP Administration in Kano State, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, was unjustifiably harsh on Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration, accusing it of bad governance and non-performance. However, while ignoring such weighty accusations without clarifications, it will amount to giving it a tacit approval. In essence, it is like supporting the misinformation and distortion of facts. Alhaji Usman Alhaji’s vituperation is like “the ranting of an ant.” As a “political figure’ who held various political positions, there is no doubt experiencing a fall from grace to grass, is indeed painful. It is obvious that he is gasping for political relevance, hoping to bounce back into the circle of politically relevant personalities in the State and in the country, at large. Related: Your Underperformance Allegations Against Kano Govt Baseless, Misleading, Eye On Kano Initiative Replies Usman Alhaji The best way to describe his predicament is the Hausa proverb that says “Tururuwa in taso lalacewa fukafuki ta kan yi,” meaning “if an ant is about to lose relevance, it will develop wings.” A cursory look at Alhaji Usman Alhaji’s political history would reveal like an ant whose time was up, how he has been gradually losing relevance due to his serial election loses and lack of political impact even at the lowest grassroots level. Although Alhaji Usman Alhaji, is a man who has assigned to key important positions in politics. He was General Secretary of National Republican Convention (NRC), a National Political Party. He also served as Education Commissioner in Kano State and later became Secretary to the State Government, yet it was evident all these positions he held were never impactful, as they were all acquired not through dent of hard work but through political consensus and negotiations. All his records of political contests had resulted in failure, a development that perhaps explained his deep frustrations and why he is suddenly drifting to the depths of irrelevance and is currently hanging on a Kangaroo and Mushroom Political Support Group to regain his feet. A further close examination of Alhaji Usman Alhaji’s political life would reveal how he is gradually undergoing a sense of political decline with diminishing relevance and is equally experiencing a fall from prominence to irrelevance. How can a politician who has occupied key positions in political parties at national and state levels lack a visible political structure but are suddenly reduced to holding a banner of a support group? His tale is a perfect description of a person experiencing a significant decline and downfall from a position of success as appointee, holding a position of power and influence to a state of minimal importance, effectiveness and relevance. Read Also: RE: Kano Govt Borrowed $6.6 Million External Loan A politician who has been reduced to such level and is now gasping for air through a pressure group can best be described as someone drifting from political peak to a political pit. The misinformation and distortion of facts he rather chose to profess is perhaps borne out of these political frustrations, which is associated with his sudden decline and irrelevance, as he is currently experiencing. In the year 2007, Alhaji Usman Alhaji ran for the Senate under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but lost to Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya. He equally contested for the Senate under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011, yet he lost the election. During the 2015 election, he was one of the most visible aspirants in terms of publicity, but unknown to many, he was a paper tiger, bargaining for an appointment. He stepped down for Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who was in the gubernatorial election but was compensated with the position of SSG. Psychologists are of the view that the psychological impact of repeated electoral defeats can lead to increased stress and anxiety levels, as they can potentially affect a person’s mental health and decision-making abilities. While serial losses of elections may erode a politician’s confidence and his abilities to perform, it thus makes it more challenging for him to bounce back and regain momentum in his political career. His situation can also lead to the loss of public support and can add to the stress and pressure on his political life and emotional distress, which can be substantial, and can potentially lead to feelings of disappointment, frustration, and despair, as in the case of Alhaji Usman Alhaji, who had a free fall from national relevance to a state of obscurity. For almost eleven years, Alhaji Usman Alhaji had held the position of secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG). The first four years were under Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and the remaining years under Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. Let’s look at his antecedents and performance. His performance has been dismally low, falling short of expectations, with no record of significant achievements and policy direction. Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso tolerated him and gave his administration a clear direction, while the Ganduje administration caved into failure along with him. This is a man who was privileged to hold key positions in his educational career and later in political circle, but, one can see how desperate he is holding to a Kangaroo political support group to gain prominence. It’s worth noting that politicians like this are not immune to the emotional and psychological effects of repeated failures. Hence, there is no doubt that Alhaji Usman Alhaji has been the case. His narration is a tale of a politician betraying his State while biting the figures that fed him, showing a difference between dignity and political desperation. However, despite his antics, if you keep your ears to the ground, you will hear the footsteps of NNPP Administration, under Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf on education,

It is truly baffling how individuals, comfortably seated in their air-conditioned offices and who are detached from the realities on ground, could issue such a watery, unsubstantiated and  misleading statement, under the guise of public commentary. The recent publication by the so-called APC Patriotic Volunteers, led by Alhaji Usman Alhaji the former Secretary to Kano State Government (self acclaimed Wazirin Gaya), reeks of desperation, a feeble attempt to whitewash a sordid past and distract people from the genuine efforts being made by the NNPP-led administration under the capable leadership of His Excellency Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf. Ideally, APC members should have buried their heads in shame, for the atrocities they had committed, which included: mismanagement and misappropriation of the resources of Kano people, self – enrichment and misuse of public properties. Read Also: Mu’az Magaji: “26 Years of Democracy in Nigeria, A Journey Worth Reflecting On” Let us set the record straight, point by point: 1. Water Supply: Mismanagement and Recovery It is laughable and hypocritical for APC sympathizers to lament water scarcity when the current crisis is the direct fallout of years of neglect, decay, and mismanagement under their watch. The NNPP administration inherited a comatose water infrastructure but is already making measurable progress: i.Procurement of 10  high-capacity water pumps to revamp the state’s water supply system. ii.Drilling of 6 industrial boreholes. Ongoing rehabilitation of distribution networks. Your government never made such strategic or comprehensive interventions. Expecting instant results after years of neglect is unrealistic and disingenuous. 2. Education: From Ruins to Revitalization The APC left Kano’s education sector in a deplorable state  dilapidated classrooms, underpaid and demoralized teachers, zero strategic investment, and no annual increments or promotions. Under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf: i.A State of Emergency on education was declared. ii.Education budget allocations rose dramatically to 29% in 2024 and 31% in 2025  the highest in Kano’s history. iii.Hundreds of classrooms are being renovated and newly constructed across all LGAs. iv.Recruitment of qualified teachers is underway to fill critical gaps neglected for years. To claim “little to see” is either blatant dishonesty or willful blindness. 3. Demolitions: Restoring Public Purpose Yes, demolitions have occurred,but not out of vindictiveness. They are necessary actions to reclaim illegally acquired public lands. The APC shamelessly converted public assets and green spaces into private estates for cronies, including Filin Idi, Race Course, Kundila Housing Estate, State Road civil servant quarters, and more. Unlike your era of privatization and land grabbing, the current government is restoring these spaces to serve public needs  schools, hospitals, roads, and green areas. This is justice, not chaos. 4. Independent Power Project (IPP): Clarifying the Facts The IPP was not an APC initiative. It was inherited in a fragmented state and was being deliberately dismantled. The NNPP administration intervened to restore the original plan and ensure electricity reaches strategic areas like Kwankwasiyya and Amana Cities. Even if you argue these estates benefit a few, remember that Kwankwasiyya City is the largest single housing estate in Kano state. When completed, it will significantly boost the state’s socio-economic prospects  unlike the empty infrastructure projects under your administration, which served contractors more than the people. 5. Silencing Opposition? Promoting Responsible Media No media house has been banned for airing opposition views. The recent agreement among media executives aimed to curb vulgar, indisciplined, and defamatory political programming that promotes hate speech and misinformation. no fewer than 262 broadcast violations relating to politics and personality attacks were recorded in Kano State within just two months (January–February 2025). Would you prefer we continue down a path that inevitably leads to unrest? 6. Ecological Funds: Tangible Actions There is no dispute about the receipt of ecological funds. The difference lies in tangible project execution: i.Bulbulawa in Ungoggo LGA now has active erosion control works after years of neglect,by your administration. ii.Wailari and several other erosion control projects are ongoing. iii.Drainage rehabilitation and flood prevention are progressing in multiple roads in state capital and some LGAs. If you cannot acknowledge this progress, at least refrain from misleading the public. 7. External Borrowing and Transparency Your administration was infamous for accruing debts without transparency or accountability. We challenge you to publicly disclose: The total debts acquired under the Ganduje administration. Detailed reports on how those debts were utilized. The NNPP administration, unlike yours, has not taken any foreign loans since assuming office. The books are open for public scrutiny. 8. Salary and Pension Irregularities: Accountability in Action Irregularities discovered in April salary payments were promptly addressed with disciplinary actions a hallmark of transparency. Contrast this with your tenure, where: i.Civil servants were often unaware of their exact salary figures. ii.Salaries and pensions were arbitrarily cut. iv.Payroll fraud thrived unchecked with ghost workers on the payroll. v. Under your administration hundreds of pensioners died without receiving their legitimate gratuity after serving the state fir over 30 years. 9. Local Government Autonomy and Emirate Disputes Pretending to champion local government autonomy is hollow when your government controlled all 44 LGAs as mere extensions of the State Executive Council. The current administration is working to ensure LGAs are governed by elected officials, not puppets. Regarding the Emirate dispute, it remains a matter before competent courts. The NNPP government consistently respects the rule of law, unlike your blatant disregard for multiple court rulings during your demolition excesses. 10. Legitimacy and Performance It is irresponsible to brand this government “illegitimate” when INEC declared it the winner and courts upheld the results. Attempts to rewrite history with propaganda only tarnish the APC’s already dwindling reputation in Kano. Instead of bitter attacks, the APC should answer: Why were schools left in ruins? Why was water unavailable for years despite billions spent? Why were public properties sold to cronies? Why were debts piled without meaningful progress? The NNPP-led Kano State Government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may not be perfect, but it is genuinely working  restoring sanity, investing in people, and rebuilding Kano from the ruins your administration left behind. Your desperate attempt to undermine