MINISTER GWARZO’S REMOVAL: Matters Arising
By Adamu Abdullahi
Calculative, level-headed, approachable but very resolute, former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, His Excellency, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, is no doubt, one of the trusted political disciples of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from Kano and indeed northern part of the country as a whole.
Minister Gwarzo is among the very few of President Tinubu’s political allies, who saw his prospect of becoming Nigeria’s number one citizen early enough. This was why in the build up to 2011 general elections, he quietly broke away from the ANPP where he served as Deputy Governor, and joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Tinubu’s political party then. From that platform, he started building a new political structure, using his experience as a grassroot politician. He was also the ACN governorship candidate in Kano during the 2011 general elections.
Unlike other politicians who can opt to violence and blackmail to severe political relationship, Minister Gwarzo’s separation with Malam Ibrahim Shekarau the then Governor of Kano State was never a violent political divorce common to Nigerian political leaders. The two leaders parted their ways in peace, respect, vely and mutual understanding, with both pursuing their political future without malice.
READ ALSO: What Tinubu’s sacked ministers failed to do
Conscious of what he really wanted, while most of his colleagues joined what they termed the winning team, Minister Gwarzo remained steadfast and resolute with the Tinubu political empire. He held on to the flag of the ACN before the mega-merger that metamorphosed into the All-Progressives Congress (APC). He was the first chairman in Kano.
While other politicians from his clime were hustling and jostling for the state and national cakes in Kano Government House and in Aso Rock for several years, Minister Gwarzo went underground, working tirelessly, day and night building a strong and unbreakable political web for Tinubu in Kano, and the North-West in particular. His efforts and hard work, indeed, paid off as President Tinubu’s presidential ambition and aspiration was widely accepted in Kano and throughout the entire North.
No wonder there was no raising of eye-brows when Presdient Tinubu personally picked Gwarzo as a minister from Kano. As a Minister in President Tinubu’s cabinet, Gwarzo used his political fecundity and experience as four times Local Government Chairman, ALGON chairman, Special Adviser and former Deputy Governor cum Commissioner for Water Resources to keep performing creditably. It is important to recall Gwarzo’s popularity when he met the water needs of Kano people. unprecedented, as he was hailed and cheers as, “Ruwa Baba,” for ensuring the rehabilitation of all the water works and construction of new treatment plant, the Watari Water Treatment Plant.
As a Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Gwarzo has recorded uncommon achievements in the Ministry which include the ongoing construction of 3,112 Renewed Hope Cities at Karsana, Abuja; 250 Estates each at 11 states across all the geo-political zones of the country; and 500 Cities in Kano currently ongoing under Renewed Hope Estate and Cities programme. There is also the planned construction of 100 housing units in all the 774 Local Government Areas in the country under the National Housing Fund for vulnerable and underprivileged persons.
An empathic and compassionate leader, Minister Gwarzo, as State Minister made it habitual to touch the lives of poor people every Thursday, they were given Five Thousand Naira with a view to assisting them to cushion the effects of the current economic hardship bedeviling the county. Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo has been described as a very loyal party man, always having the interest of the party at heart above his personal interest. During his recent Independence Day Anniversary message, Minister Gwarzo insisted that the APC-controlled administration under President Tinubu’s able leadership has recorded landmark achievements that should be acknowledged and celebrated by all patriotic and progressive-minded Nigerians. He called on Nigerians to come together and work assiduously to build a nation which our next generation will be proud of, adding that what President Tinubu needs from all Nigerians is unflinching support and cooperation to take the country to greater heights.
However, despite all the political credentials attributed to His Excellency Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo and his modest contributions to the housing sector within one year of his stewardship as well as his ironclad support to the administration, yet, he was removed from the ministerial position without any ground. It was alleged that his removal was based on the fact that his senatorial zone of Kano North harbours many top political leaders holding big offices. Therefore, his position was sacrificed. Lest we forget that there are states with two ministers from the same local government and another with four.
Political pundits have viewed this action by Mr. President as a tantamount to political suicide and miscalculation in Kano, because the decision will only temporarily favour someone who is scheming to pave way for his 2027 governorship ambition. The dynamics of Kano politics is beyond removing a popular politician and replacing him with less popular one who is not widely accepted and thinking of having an easy ride. Kano is politically sophisticated enough to resist any move towards self imposition. Again, money-bags politic doesn’t play much role in determining who become governor of Kano.
Again, APC supporters in Kano are watching the game with keen interest because the issue of the Supreme Court judgment is still in their minds. Someone is being accused of playing role and now the issue of dropping Honourable Minister of State Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo was also not unconnected with a role-played by the same person.
Meanwhile, to the Minister Gwarzo, his brief stint as a Minister of State was beneficial to the people, even staff of the ministry can attest to that. Many people especially those who were beneficiaries of the weekly arms given / largesse to less privileged. History and posterity will surely judge him positively.
Interestingly, his loyalty and support to the president, and in particular his tireless efforts in addressing socio-economic and political challenges facing Nigeria through visionary and patriotic initiatives remain unshaken. But the fact remains that Mr. President was advised wrongfully on the political weight of his trusted and tested political disciple.
Mr Abdullahi was senior special adviser to the former minister on media
Indeed the removal of Abdullahi Gwarzo was a great lost to Kano State and the entire country in general.
Ruwa Baba as he was called is very committed and dedicated grass roots politician. A gap was created which can’t be filled.
Wishing him All the best.