Abubakar Shehu Kwaru

Leadership, as scholars have long argued, is neither accidental nor ornamental. It is defined by character, competence and the capacity to unite people toward a common purpose. As an undergraduate at Bayero University, Kano, over two decades ago, I was introduced to the principles of leadership articulated by Henri Fayol — principles that emphasise honesty, discipline, responsibility, hard work, knowledge, exemplary conduct and the ability to inspire unity among subordinates.

Other scholars go further to argue that some individuals are naturally endowed with leadership qualities — charismatic, courageous and selfless — though such individuals are often rare in any society.

My conviction about leadership was further shaped in 2007 when I participated in a Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) youth sensitisation programme organised by the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Abuja. There, we were taught that credible leadership demands sacrifice, vision and unwavering commitment to the public good.

In today’s political climate, a leader with these qualities stands out — sometimes lonely amid the crowd. It is against this backdrop that Honourable Murtala Sule Garo emerges, in my view, as one of those rare figures whose record speaks louder than rhetoric.

Politics, like life itself, teaches us patience. Man may propose, but God ultimately disposes. Ambition, qualifications and popularity do not always translate into immediate outcomes. Destiny unfolds in its own time.

This reality played out during the 2023 general elections when the All Progressives Congress (APC) presented Dr Nasir Yusuf Gawuna and Honourable Murtala Sule Garo as its gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates in Kano State. Despite their credentials and acceptance, the mandate went elsewhere, as providence favoured the incumbent governor, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf.

Yet, the choice of those candidates was not accidental. It reflected years of service, political consistency and deep-rooted connections with the grassroots.

Honourable Murtala Sule Garo, fondly called “Commander” by admirers, exemplifies qualities Kano urgently needs in its leadership space — calm strength, courage, inclusiveness and discipline. He is widely regarded as considerate, hardworking, peace-loving and deeply committed to public service.

Born about five decades ago in Garo town of Kabo Local Government Area, Kano North Senatorial District, Garo hails from a respected royal lineage. His late father, Alhaji Sule Galadima Garo, was the Galadiman Garo, a revered traditional title holder. Garo combined Islamic and Western education from an early age before venturing into politics.

His political journey has been both instructive and impactful. He served as State Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before being elected Chairman of Kabo Local Government Council in 2013. He later rose to become Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kano State chapter, during the second tenure of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as governor. That role exposed his administrative capacity and leadership dexterity on a broader scale.

In 2015, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje appointed Garo as Commissioner for Local Government, a position he retained in 2019 due to his performance and results-driven approach. As commissioner, he empowered local government chairmen, strengthened grassroots administration and prioritised inclusive governance, irrespective of political affiliation.

These qualities explain why his recent political realignment has drawn attention. In a period when Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has committed himself to transforming Kano into a megacity, the need for experienced, resilient and grassroots-oriented politicians has never been greater.

There is little doubt that a workaholic, seasoned administrator like Murtala Sule Garo would add immense value to any administration. With his political antecedents, loyalty and organisational strength, he represents the kind of stabilising force that allows leadership to function with confidence.

His network of former local government chairmen and political allies — including Honourable Lamin Sani Kawaji, Honourable Ibrahim Ahmad Karaye (Madaki), Mukhtari Ishaq Yakasai, Saleh Kausani, Abubakar Ali and Ibrahim Hamisu Rimi, among others — underscores his influence and capacity for mobilisation.

Good governance thrives when credible, reliable and grassroots-tested leaders are entrusted with responsibility. Kano State, at this critical juncture, needs bridge-builders rather than spectators.

When the time comes, pairing experience with vision will be essential. Honourable Murtala Sule Garo, by record and reputation, fits that role. He has consistently demonstrated that leadership is about service, not self; about unity, not division. Indeed, if leadership were a cap, it would sit firmly on his head.

Abubakar Shehu Kwaru is a seasoned journalist who writes from Mandawari Quarters, Gwale Local Government Area, Kano State.

Abdulkadir A. Ibrahim (Kwakwatawa), FNGE,

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s eventual defection was not an act of ambition or betrayal, but a calculated decision shaped by loyalty, patience and the overriding necessity of governance. His journey reflects the difficult balance between ideology and responsibility in Nigeria’s political terrain.

Politics is not merely a contest for power; it is a discipline of choice. It is a terrain where patience is tested, loyalty is strained, and leadership is measured not by noise but by consequence. Within this demanding landscape, the delayed defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf did not arise from indecision, opportunism or personal ambition. Rather, it emerged from a deliberate and sustained effort to align loyalty with strategy, principle with progress, and mentorship with the realities of governance.

From the very beginning, Abba Kabir Yusuf’s political life has been defined by obedience and restraint. His rise was neither abrupt nor rebellious. He operated firmly within the shadow of his political mentor, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, absorbing the ethos of movement politics, where discipline outweighs impulse and structure takes precedence over personal will. Even as governor of Kano, one of Nigeria’s most politically significant states, Abba remained ideologically grounded in the belief that leadership must not outgrow loyalty.

Yet politics evolves, and governance confronts leaders with questions that ideology alone cannot answer.

Governor Abba’s delay in defecting to the APC was rooted in a singular objective: he wanted Kano’s political realignment to be collective, dignified and anchored around his mentor. On several occasions, he made deliberate and quiet efforts to soften Kwankwaso’s stance, urging him to look beyond rigid demands and towards broader possibilities of national alignment. Abba understood what many pretended not to see — that Kwankwaso’s value in Nigerian politics was already established and did not require transactional bargaining to be affirmed.

In this pursuit, Abba became more than a governor; he became a bridge. His travels, both local and international, were not personal adventures but diplomatic missions. The planned meeting in France, subsequent engagement attempts in the UAE, and the eventual discussion with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja were all part of a calculated effort to create neutral ground for dialogue. Each step reflected Abba’s belief that reconciliation must be pursued persistently, even when outcomes are uncertain.

It is no longer a secret that political restructuring within the APC, including the removal of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as National Chairman, was widely interpreted as an opening gesture towards Kwankwaso. The intention was clear: to create space, reduce friction and encourage reintegration. Yet, despite these overtures, the response remained distant. Even when a direct meeting between President Tinubu and Kwankwaso was proposed after Abba’s engagement with the President, it was deliberately declined.

At the heart of the impasse was rigidity. The insistence that any return to the APC must be predicated on a vice-presidential ticket revealed a fundamental misreading of political timing.

While Kwankwaso remains charismatic, influential and a proven crowd mobiliser, succession politics is not dictated by entitlement but by alignment, trust and gradual consensus. Abba saw this clearly and repeatedly counselled moderation, patience and realism.

Throughout this period, Abba Kabir Yusuf endured in silence. He absorbed political marginalisation within his own movement without public complaint. He exercised little or no influence over party structures, candidate selection or even local government political arrangements. Yet, despite these constraints, he never uttered a single negative word against his mentor. On the contrary, he publicly warned commentators and social media actors against disparaging Kwankwaso. This was not weakness; it was character.

However, governance eventually demands a reckoning.

Kano State could no longer afford political isolation. Development, security, infrastructure and economic revival require synergy with the centre. The cost of standing apart had become too visible to ignore. The Wuju-Wuju road project stands as a powerful symbol of this reality. Conceived during Kwankwaso’s tenure at an estimated cost of about ₦5 billion, the project languished for years in abandonment. Today, through federal intervention, the same project is being revived at a staggering cost of ₦46 billion. This is not merely inflation; it is the price of delay, distance and political disconnection.

For Abba Kabir Yusuf, this was the turning point. “Kano first” ceased to be a slogan and became a moral imperative. Development cannot be sentimental. Security cannot be postponed. Governance cannot wait for perfect alignment when the people are paying the price of political stasis. His defection to the APC, therefore, was not a rejection of loyalty but an expansion of responsibility.

Even in changing course, Abba remained faithful to his values. He left without insults, bitterness or revisionist attacks on his past. His silence spoke louder than any justification. It reflected a leader who understands that respect does not end where agreement fails — humble, gentle and courteous.

In the final reckoning, politics must answer to morality, and morality must answer to consequence. Leadership is not validated by how long one waits, but by when one chooses to act. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s decision reflects a timeless truth: when loyalty begins to delay collective progress, conscience must intervene. Kano’s future could not remain hostage to prolonged negotiations or rigid postures, no matter how noble their origins.

History is unkind to leaders who confuse patience with prudence. It remembers those who understand that power is a means, not an inheritance, and that alignment is not surrender when it unlocks development, security and dignity for the people. Abba’s choice affirms that governance is a trust — one that demands difficult decisions taken with humility and restraint.

In choosing Kano first, prioritising peace, unity and progress over comfort, action over endless persuasion, and responsibility over sentiment, Abba Kabir Yusuf has placed himself on the harder side of leadership. And it is often on that harder side that the future is quietly secured.

Abdulkadir A. Ibrahim (Kwakwatawa), FNGE, is a veteran journalist and public affairs analyst. He writes from Kano.

Abubakar Muhammad

There are moments in politics when hesitation becomes costly and clarity becomes inevitable. Such moments demand firm decisions, not half measures. For Kano State, that moment has arrived—and the die is cast.

The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has formally resigned his membership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), bringing to a close a significant chapter in the state’s political journey and opening the door to a new phase defined by stability, wider engagement, and the overriding interest of the people.

The resignation was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Diso Chiranchi Ward, NNPP, Gwale Local Government Area, and took effect from Friday, 23rd January, 2026.

In the letter, Governor Yusuf expressed gratitude to the NNPP for the opportunity it provided him and for the support he received throughout his engagement with the party since 2022.

“I write with a deep sense of gratitude to formally notify the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) of my decision to resign my membership of the party, with effect from Friday, 23rd January, 2026.”

While appreciative of the platform offered by the party, the Governor made it clear that persistent internal disputes and prolonged legal battles have weakened the NNPP’s cohesion and capacity to function effectively as a vehicle for governance.

According to him, leadership disagreements and unresolved court cases have continued to unsettle the party’s structure across the country, creating divisions that now appear difficult to heal.

“The growing disenfranchisement among party members has created deep divisions within the party structure, resulting in cracks that appear increasingly irreconcilable and have generated uncertainty at both state and national levels.”

Indeed, for a state as strategic and populous as Kano, uncertainty is a luxury it cannot afford. Governance demands focus, stability, and a political environment that supports service delivery rather than distracts from it.

Governor Yusuf emphasized that his decision followed careful reflection and was guided solely by the public interest.

“After careful reflection, and without prejudice to the party’s capacity to resolve its internal challenges, I have come to the conclusion that my resignation is in the best interest of the people of Kano State.”

This decision, he stressed, was taken in good faith and without bitterness, reaffirming his commitment to peace, unity, and the continued progress of the state.

Significantly, the Governor is not alone in this decision. He is resigning alongside 21 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and 44 Local Government Chairmen—underscoring the depth of consensus behind the move and the collective resolve to place Kano above party turbulence.

The resignation letter was acknowledged by the Secretary of Diso Chiranchi Ward, Hon. Kabiru Zubairu, who commended Governor Yusuf for his achievements in infrastructure development, urban renewal, healthcare delivery, education, and economic empowerment. While noting efforts to manage the party’s internal crisis, he accepted the Governor’s decision, describing him as one of the most performing leaders produced by the NNPP.

History teaches that when leaders delay hard choices, events eventually force them. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has chosen decisiveness over drift. With this step, Kano signals its readiness for a new political direction—one anchored on stability, cooperation, and results.

The die is cast. Kano moves forward.

Abubakar Muhammad writes from Kano.