Abba Kabir Yusuf

Kano Governor-elect nominates 65-man transition council

By Muhammadu Sabiu  

The 65-person 2023 Transition Committee has been unveiled by Kano State Governor-elect Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf (Abba Gida Gida) ahead of his inauguration. 

Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the press secretary to the governor-elect said this in a statement on Friday. According to the statement, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, a former executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and senatorial candidate for Kano North on the platform of NNPP in 2023, has been named chairman of the committee, with Abdullahi Musa, a retired permanent secretary, to serve as secretary. 

The statement says, ‘’His Excellency, the Kano State Governor-elect will inaugurate the Committee on Saturday 1st April, 2023 by 2:00 PM. Below is the full list of the Main Committee membership, while sub-committees on various sectors and sub-sectors would be announced in due course.” 

A report seen by The Daily Reality has given the list of committee members as follows: 

Sen. AB Baffa Bichi, PhD Chairman 

Prof. Hafiz Abubakar Member

Hon. Shehu Wada Sagagi Member

Hon. Umar Haruna Doguwa Member

Hon. Ahmad Garba Bichi Member

Dr Ali Haruna Makoda Member

Barr Maliki Kuliya Member

Barr. Haruna Isa Dederi Member

Dr. Danyaro Ali Yakasai Member

Engr. Muhammad Diggol Member

Dr Ibrahim Jibrin Provost Member

Sheikh Aminu Daurawa Member

Dr. Labaran Abubakar Yusuf Member

Prof Sani Lawan MFashi Member

Alh. Umar S. Minjibir Member

Dr. Danjuma Mahmud Member

Engr. Kabir Jibrin Member

Dr. Farouk Kurawa Member

Engr. Dr. Marwan Ahmad Member

Dr. Aminu Garba Magashi Member

Alh. Aminu Ibrahim Abba Member

Alh. Laminu Rabiu Member

Engr. Bello Muhd Kiru Member

Engr. Garba Ahmed Bichi Member

Hon. Tajudeen Othman Member

Hajiya Sadiya Abdu Bichi Member

Hon. Yusuf Jamo Member

Hon. Nura Dankadai Member

Alh Yusuf Lawan Member

Hon. Umar Maggi Gama Member

Hajiya Azumi Namadi Bebeji Member

Prof. Auwalu Arzai Member

Rt. Hon. Gambo Sallau Member

Bar. Muhuyi Rimingado Member

State Chairman, NLC Member

State Chairman, KACCIMA Member

Alh. Audu Kirare Member

PS Adda’u Kutama Member

PS Aminu Rabo Member

Alh. Sule Chamba Fagge Member

Alh. Usman Adamu Gaya Member

Engr. Tijjani Yunkus Member

Engr. Abubakar Argungu Member

Alh. Yahaya Musa Member

Rt. Hon. Alasan Kibiya Member

Prof. Dahiru Sani Shuaibu Member

Arc. Ibrahim Yakubu Member

Dr. Kabiru Muhd Kofa Member

Dr. Mustapha Sani Member

Sheikh Malam Abbas Abubakar Daneji Member

Bar. Bashir Yusuf Mohd Member

Bar. Ibrahim Wangida Member

Umaru Idi MemberDr. Sulaiman Wali Member

Hon. Rabiu Liliko Gwarzo Member

Alh. Kabiru Gwarzo Member

Hajiya Aisha Kaita Member

Hajiya Aisha Lawan Saji Member

Ali Yahuza Gano Member

Hon. Auwal Mukhtar Bichi Member

Alh. Musa Fagge Member

Hon Wakili Aliyu Garko Member

Tukur Bala Sagagi Member

Dr Nura Yaro D/Tofa Member

PS Abdullahi Musa Member/Secretary 

Abba Kabir and the challenges of education reform in Kano

By Bashir Abdu Muzakkari, Ph.D.

Education is a fundamental right of every individual, and it is crucial to achieving personal and national development. The availability of quality education is a critical factor in reducing poverty, improving health, economic prosperity, and fostering social equality. However, access to quality education remains a challenge in many countries, particularly in developing nations. To address this challenge, governments and stakeholders must take deliberate steps to ensure that education is accessible to all.

The Kano State Governor-elect, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf (Abba Gida-Gida), has a keen interest in the provision of quality education in Kano. In his plan to ensure that education is accessible to all, he has outlined several critical policies that will improve access to quality education which include: free education, establishment of additional schools, providing modern furniture, teacher recruitment, school feeding and uniforms, initiation of Mega Schools Policy, and the girl-child education initiative among others.

These critical policies are part of Abba’s Blueprint titled “Our Commitment for Kano: 2023 and Beyond”, and how they can improve access to quality education in Kano state.

To begin with free education: this is a crucial though critical policy in ensuring that education is accessible to all. Abba has proposed the provision of free education for all children in Kano state. This will eliminate the barriers that prevent children from accessing education, particularly those from impoverished backgrounds. Free education will ensure that all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can access quality education. The idea is to reduce the number of children – including beggars roaming our streets.

Similarly, establishment of additional schools in under-served areas will help to increase access to education. Abba has proposed the establishment of additional schools in rural areas and areas with a high number of out-of-school children. This will ensure that children in these areas have access to quality education at their doorstep.

In addition, the provision of modern school furniture is essential in ensuring that children can learn in a comfortable environment. His Excellency has proposed the idea “One-Child-One-Chair” to ensure that children can learn in a comfortable environment. This will help to improve schools’ attending and allows teachers to cater for the basic and individual needs of the pupils in their classes.

Moreover, to actualize the above policies, teacher recruitment is necessary. Abba Kabir has proposed the recruitment of qualified teachers to meet the demand for the 21st century learning system. Additionally, teacher training and retraining programmes had been developed to ensure that teachers have the necessary skills and sound knowledge to meet the demands of the standard global system.

Furthermore, school feeding and uniforms are essentials in promoting free education policy. Abba Kabir Yusuf has supported the continuation of school feeding program and distributing free uniforms to improve attendance and ensure that pupils learn with ease. This will help to reduce the burden on families and ensure that children have access to basic needs such as food and clothing.

Not only that, Abba Kabir Yusuf has proposed the initiation of Mega Schools Policy to address the challenges of inadequate resources and infrastructure in many schools. Mega schools are large schools that can accommodate a high number of students and provide all the necessary facilities, including classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and sports facilities. This policy helps to free the existing schools from over-crowded classes and improve free access to education in all parts of Kano State.

Finally, Abba has proposed the promotion of girl-child education initiatives to ensure that girls have equal access to education. This initiative is crucial in addressing the challenges of gender inequality in education, hawking as well as addressing the barriers that prevent girls from accessing education.

Abba’s plan to improve access to quality education in Kano state is comprehensive and addresses critical areas that need attention. By implementing these measures, it is certain people of Kano will have access to free quality education, regardless of their socioeconomic status or gender.

Bashir Abdu Muzakkari, Ph.D. writes from Kano and is a Senior Lecturer at Yusuf Maitama University, Kano.

Stop construction in public places – Kano Gov-elect warns residents

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Kano State Governor-elect, His Excellency, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, has warned residents to stop any ongoing building in public places in the state.

The Govenor-elect also strongly cautioned that anyone who contravenes this warning is doing it at his or her own risk.

He made this warning in a statement Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.

There have been popular outrages by the citizens in the state over the selling of some parts of schools and hospitals by Govenor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The statement read, “You are advised to discontinue any construction work on public land within and around the following: All schools in the State, all religious and cultural sites in the State, all hospitals in the State, all graveyards in the State, and along the city walls of Kano.

“You are also advised to discontinue the demolition of, and the construction on, all existing public buildings belonging to the government and people of Kano State.

This Advisory is issued in the public interest, effective from today Thursday 30th March, 2023 till further notice. Any contravener does so at his/her on risk, please,” the statement concluded.

If we were from Kano, Abba Gida Gida would be our choice – Group

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A group of persons from different states in Nigeria, under the auspices of Concerned Citizens for Human Rights and Democracy, have expressed their thoughts on the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Kano State.

In a now viral WhatsApp message, the group said they would vote for Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, over Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress.

The group predicated their concerns on the failure of the administration of the incumbent governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

According to them, poverty, non-payment of gratuity and the illegal sales of government properties characterise Ganduje’s administration.

They further opine that Gawuna’s intention to continue with the policies of the incumbent governor is shameless and disastrous.

A paragraph in the article reads:

“Upon all the offences and atrocities committed to the people of Kano State by Mr. Ganduje and his cabinet, still the All Progressive Congress’ candidate in the next coming Saturday Governorship elections in Kano State, Dr. Nasiru Gawuna had without slightest feeling of shame pledges to continue with the unpopular policies and oppressive programmes of the present administration of the state if elected. But no wonder! since, the duo are accomplice in the destruction of the economy and society of Kano.”

The signatories to the article include:

  1. Dr. Bolaji Raheem, Sociologist (Lagos)
  2. Mr. Oluka Jekky, Medical Doctor (Port Harcourt)
  3. Mrs. Nneka Obi, Activist (Anambra)
    Hebert Kingsley, Historian (Akwaibom State)
  4. Ali Yabo, Trade Unionist ( Sokoto State)
  5. Mallam Babawo Ibrahim, Writer ( Katsina State)
  6. Dr. Mvandiga Tor Political Scientist, Benue State
  7. Ibrahim Zunkur, Pastor ( Plateau State)
  8. Muhammad Wunti, Teacher ( Bauchi State)
  9. Babagana Musa, Aid Worker ( Borno)
    Saleh Garba , Islamic Cleric/Imam ( Jigawa)

Kano 2023: NGOs are part of my government – Abba Kabir

By Aisar Fagge

The gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Eng. Abba Kabir Yusuf, also known as Abba Gida-Gida, said Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) are part of his government.

Yusuf made this statement on Tuesday during a continuation of interactive session series organised by a coalition of 21 Kano CSOs and NGOs aiming to promote peace and development of Kano State.

Yusuf said, “NGOs are part of my government. I need creative people who will assist us to make Kano State better. People seem to relegate the power of NGOs when it comes to good governance. They have important roles to play in the socio-economic aspects of human development. Our laws have recognized them. They can even take anybody who frustrates them to court and demand prosecution.

“Our administration will give special consideration to youth development. I, personally, have been supporting youths financially in various capacities, including national competitions. Social media activists and influencers are also part of our plans,” he added.

When asked about Child Protection Bill, the former commissioner said, “We’ll support it. We’ll implement it. We’ll give it maximum support. We’ll bring it back even if it is discarded. These poor kids are being victimized and molested. We’ll not tolerate it anymore,” he frowned.

The event gathered people from all walks of life. People living with disabilities sent their representatives who complained about how they have been constantly ignored by politicians. He assured them important posts such as advisers, MD and [possibly] a commissioner. He lastly appealed to an audience who are eager to see his blueprint, which he said will be unveiled very soon.

The convener, Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, thanked Eng. Abba Kabir Yusuf and his team spared their time to grace the event and interact with the audience on critical issues on health, education, youths, women, the environment, commerce, agriculture, and technology, among others.