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My relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari – Salihu Tanko Yakasai
In light of recent events that transpired over my recent comments about the government of President Buhari, I think it is absolutely necessary to shed more light on my decades of relationship with the President, and how I am not doing anybody’s bidding with my remarks but simply reacting to issues that are happening in my country.
What is more, my comments were not aimed at casting aspersion against the person or government of Mr. President.
Far from that!
I joined partisan politics in December 2000 at the age of 24, when I officially became a member of the defunct APP at my ward, Kawaji in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
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At that time, Kano State was PDP-controlled under the then governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
So, I entered politics as an opposition member in my state. As at that time, I was contesting for the position of a councilor at my ward, which ended with my losing the primary election in 2004.
Pioneer Buharist
In 2002, I was in All Progressives Party (APP) when President Buhari picked the membership card of the party and officially joined politics to run for the presidency in the 2003 elections. At that time, I and millions of people particularly from the north welcomed this decision by the President with enthusiasm and zeal and we supported him 100%.
We were basically the 1st set of the so-called ‘cult-like followership ‘ of the President, simply because we believed in him to deliver and lead this country to prosperity.
He came into politics as someone people trusted and whom they see as an upright person that they can vouch for, earning him the nickname ‘Mai Gaskiya’.
We campaigned for him through thick and thin, street to street, the young and the old, and when it was election time, I was assigned by my party leaders at my ward to be the returning officer of our party, APP, for the presidential election which Buhari was contesting for.
We fought PDP hard at my ward to ensure that we delivered the ward to him in the election.
I did not sleep for almost 48 hours then, because I had to accompany the results to the local government collation centre to ensure that the results were not altered.
President Buhari did not win the 2003 general elections, but our party, the defunct APP won the governorship election in Kano State, which ushered in Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau as the new governor of the state.
But soon after that, there was friction between his camp and that of President Buhari, which later on after the 2007 elections led to the creation of a new political party formed by Buhari, that is Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC).
First meeting with Buhari
I, and my political leader at that time, Hon. Balarabe Wakili, a former member representing Nasarawa Local Government in the House of Reps (2003 to 2007) decided to pitch our camp with the President and not with Mallam Shekarau, and it was through Hon. Wakili that I first visited the President on a solidarity visit back in the early stages.
It is still in CPC that I contested for the State Assembly, which we suffered a lot because of the factionalization of the party that led to a lot of bickerings.
Ultimately, I neither got the ticket nor did our party win the election.
May I use this medium to thank the current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Sadiya for the role she played in my election back then when she was the National Treasurer of CPC.
My surrogate father-in-law
The President, also served as my wife’s guardian during our wedding in 2006 on behalf of her late uncle, AVM Mukhtar Mohammed who was a very close associate of the President.
May I use this opportunity to tell my wife’s guardian that 14 years after he gave her hand in marriage to me, we are still living peacefully and blessed with 3 children.
We thank him for his fatherly role during the nuptial rites.
Back to politics, at the presidential level, I served as a member of the Welfare Committee of the Presidential Election of Muhammadu Buhari, with the current Minister of Water Resources, Hon. Sulaiman Adamu Kazaure as the chairman of the committee, during the 2011 presidential election.
After the formation of APC, I also served as a member of the Youth Committee during the 2015 elections, crisscrossing this country to campaign for the President which we eventually won and Buhari was ushered into government with popular national support.
Now having given the background of the long-term relationship between me and the President spanning 18 years to be precise, I have never known a political leader throughout my political career other than Buhari, even though I can count the number of times I’ve met him.
NEPU blood
I did not only wish for his success but I equally worked hard with everything that I’ve got for almost two decades to see his dream become a reality, and I will continue to stand by him.
When I see things that are going not the way they are supposed to, I naturally have that urge to try and express my concern about them, because I want things to work right.
I can understand, if by virtue of my position as an aide to a governor in the same party as the President’s that I have limitations and somehow the spotlight is always on me.
But occasionally, despite suppressing my opinions,
I find the NEPU blood in me triggering me to react.
This is in no way, meant to undermine the President or my dear party, APC.
Apologies to Ganduje
To my boss, His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, I want to use this opportunity to apologise for putting Your Excellency in an uncomfortable position due to my personal opinions.
It is indeed something that I never intended to happen, and I am not happy about it a bit. I do not have a boss-and-aide relationship with Your Excellency; I rather have a father-and-son relationship with Your Excellency.
Indeed, I appreciate the support Your Excellency has been according me in the last five years, and I will continue to remain loyal to you and serve my state and my country through your government and in whatever other capacity.
At the end of the day, our prayer is for Nigeria to be great.
In the words of Barack Obama “Do we participate in a politics of cynicism, or in a politics of hope?”
I am an optimist, and it’s our ardent HOPE that we will have the Nigeria of our dreams in which development and prosperity will be the norm rather than the exception; a country we can build a secured future for our children and generations yet unborn.
May we continue to do our best in ensuring this is the Nigeria that our forefathers sacrificed their lives for to lay a solid foundation.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Salihu Tanko Yakasai, Governor Ganduje’s suspended media aide writes from Kano.
Hauwa Umar
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced a device verification platform to strengthen regulatory compliance, protect consumers and curb the circulation of counterfeit, cloned and unauthorised communication devices in Nigeria.
KANO FOCUS reports that the commission said the NCC Device Checker Platform would enable consumers to verify the regulatory approval status of SIM-enabled devices before purchasing them, while helping ensure that devices connected to Nigerian telecommunications networks meet established technical standards.
The Kano Zonal Controller of the NCC, Engr. Maigana Gidado, disclosed this on Thursday during a media briefing at the commission’s zonal office in Kano.
Engr. Gidado said the initiative was part of the commission’s efforts to strengthen Type Approval compliance and improve the integrity of communication devices used on Nigerian networks.
According to him, the commission has made progress in implementing the initiative through the regularisation and licensing of device dealers, as well as sensitisation engagements with importers and other industry stakeholders.
He said the commission had streamlined its licensing and regularisation processes, enabling a significant number of device dealers in Kano State to obtain licences.
The NCC had also conducted stakeholder sensitisation engagements in Lagos and other parts of the country to improve awareness of Type Approval requirements and obligations under the Device Checker framework.
“These initiatives have strengthened accountability across the device supply chain and improved compliance with regulatory requirements,” he said.
Engr. Gidado added that the commission had developed a user-friendly Device Checker application that allows authorised stakeholders to scan device International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and upload information directly to the platform.
He said the application was designed to simplify compliance procedures, improve efficiency and make the verification process more accessible to relevant industry participants.
The zonal controller urged consumers to verify the status of devices before purchasing them through the commission’s *Check Your Device* portal at [www.ncc.gov.ng/devicechecker](http://www.ncc.gov.ng/devicechecker) by entering the device’s IMEI number.
He also directed manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers to consult the Type Approval and Device Verification Guide available at [www.ncc.gov.ng/DeviceCheckerGuide](http://www.ncc.gov.ng/DeviceCheckerGuide) to understand their responsibilities under the regulatory framework.
According to him, organisations seeking Equipment Type Approval can access the relevant application requirements and procedures through the Type Approval section of the commission’s website.
Engr. Gidado, however, clarified that the Device Checker Platform was not a surveillance tool and would not access users’ personal data, messages, photographs, contacts, financial information or other private content stored on their devices.
He explained that the platform’s purpose was limited to device identification and verification of regulatory compliance.
The NCC urged consumers to patronise reputable and licensed dealers and take advantage of its online resources to make informed purchasing decisions.
It also encouraged industry stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the commission’s Type Approval requirements and ensure full compliance.
Engr. Gidado said consumers requiring assistance or wishing to lodge complaints could contact the commission through its 315 toll-free consumer line.
He reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to consumer protection, fair competition and network integrity, adding that the commission would continue to promote a trusted communications ecosystem in Nigeria.
Suspect returned to Kano to face investigation, prosecution
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has arrested a suspected gang leader and sponsor, Ishaq Lawan Ibrahim, popularly known as Malam Keya, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
KANO FOCUS reports that the 27-year-old suspect, from Yelwa in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, is accused of sponsoring violent gang clashes that have claimed lives and heightened insecurity in parts of the state.
The task force disclosed this in a statement, saying the suspect was arrested following intelligence-led operations after allegedly fleeing Kano as security operations against gang violence intensified.
According to the statement, operatives tracked him to Port Harcourt and arrested him in an operation led by the task force’s Head of Operations, CSP Bashir Gwadabe. He has since been returned to Kano.
The task force alleged that Malam Keya played a leading role in orchestrating and financing hoodlums involved in violent attacks in Dala and other affected communities.
The areas reportedly affected by the gang violence include Jakara, Madigawa, Yalwa, Sanka, Kul Kul, Dogon Nama, Kukar Bulukiya, Dala, Shatsari and Dandalin Turawa.
Confirming the arrest, the task force chairman, Barr Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the operation demonstrated the agency’s determination to pursue suspected sponsors of violence beyond Kano State.
“Let me assure you that those who bankroll violence should know that no distance, and no hiding place, will protect them. This arrest is only the beginning. We will not rest until peace is fully restored,” he said.
The task force said the suspect remained in custody for further investigation and would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of the investigation.
It added that its operations would continue in accordance with the law, with all suspects entitled to due process.
The agency also pledged to sustain efforts to dismantle criminal gangs, identify their alleged sponsors and disrupt drug supply networks linked to criminal activities.
It urged residents, community and religious leaders, parents and youths to support security efforts by reporting suspicious persons and activities, monitoring their neighbourhoods and discouraging young people from being recruited into criminal gangs.
The task force described public cooperation as essential to restoring peace and security across the state.
It also acknowledged the support of the Kano and Rivers state police commands and other law enforcement agencies in the operation.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Police Command has foiled an alleged kidnapping plot in Gezawa Local Government Area and arrested two 20-year-old suspects over threats to abduct a village head.
KANO FOCUS reports that the suspects, identified as Aliyu Naziru Garba and Bashir Alhasan, were arrested following intelligence-led operations by police operatives attached to the Gezawa Divisional Police Headquarters.
The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.
According to the statement, the incident was reported on October 26, 2026, at about 1:30 a.m. by the village head of Bangare, Mallam Idris, who told the police that he had received a threatening phone call from an unidentified person on October 24 at about 9:33 p.m.
The caller allegedly threatened to kidnap him.
Following the report, police operatives launched a follow-up operation, which led to the arrest of the two suspects.
“The suspects have confessed to the commission of the crime,” the statement said, adding that investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged to court upon completion.
The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended officers of the Gezawa Division for their swift and professional response.
Bakori reiterated the command’s zero-tolerance stance on criminal activities and said the operation aligned with the policing vision of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, which prioritises intelligence-led and technology-driven policing, professionalism and proactive crime prevention.
The police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons or movements to the nearest police station.
The command also provided the following emergency contact numbers for reporting security concerns: 08032419754, 08123821575 and 09029292926.
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