The former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo, has disclosed that his dismissal by President Bola Tinubu was politically driven rather than due to any failures in his ministerial duties.
In an interview with BBC Hausa on Saturday, November 9, 2024, Gwarzo stated, “I was surprised because I wasn’t found guilty of any wrongdoing or poor performance. And I was minister of state, with the senior minister overseeing a large portion of the ministry’s activities.”
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Gwarzo further revealed that President Tinubu had informed him of the decision before the official announcement, citing an imbalance of political appointees from Kano North. “He said Kano North was overloaded with political officers, hence the need to strike a balance. We gave our advice, but it was ignored. From there, I began to suspect that certain individuals were behind this because, to me, that wasn’t a valid reason,” Gwarzo explained.
Gwarzo suggested that the President should have considered Nasiru Gawuna, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kano State during the 2023 elections, for the ministerial position. “If the ministerial slot is indeed meant for Kano Central, we have our 2023 governorship candidate, who is also our leader in Kano Central. Why not consider giving him the position?” he questioned.
He further added, “Gawuna should be offered the role first, unless he declines, in which case it could be given to someone else. All other candidates from Plateau and Zamfara states who contested for the governorships were appointed to positions.”
Gwarzo’s comments follow his recent replacement with Yusuf Ata as the new minister. His dismissal was part of a broader cabinet reshuffle announced in a State House release on October 23, 2024, where four other ministers were also removed, including the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju-Ken Ohanenye; Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; and Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim.
