The Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, has advised Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam to resign from his position following the political realignment in the state.
In an interview with Muhasa Radio in Kano, Mr Waiya stated that the deputy governor can no longer be fully trusted by members of the State Executive Council due to his “perceived double loyalty.”
He spoke against the background of the recent defection of Governor Abba Yusuf to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
While the governor has resigned from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and joined the APC, Mr Abdussalam has remained with the NNPP.
Governor Yusuf defected with the majority of his cabinet members, 22 members of the State House of Assembly and nine members of the House of Representatives.
However, the transition has not been without resistance. At least five commissioners resigned their appointments in protest, reaffirming their loyalty to the NNPP leader and former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Mr Waiya argued that political differences at the highest level of government could erode trust and hinder effective governance.
He suggested that if a deputy’s political interests no longer align with those of the governor, the most “honorable” path is to step down.
“If you sit in an Executive Council meeting where people are discussing how to build Kano, and there is suspicion because someone is viewed as an outsider, people won’t be comfortable. This is a problem because governance is built on trust,” Mr Waiya stated.
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Mr Waiya acknowledged that the final decision rests solely with the deputy governor, but he drew a direct comparison to the commissioners who stepped down.
“If he can continue like this and the governor is comfortable with it, then there is no problem. But if I were in his shoes, I would have resigned honorably,” Mr Waiya added.
As of now, the deputy governor has yet to issue a formal statement regarding his political future or his standing within the current administration.
