Abdullahi Gwarzo, the recently ousted Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, has claimed that his dismissal by President Bola Tinubu was politically motivated, rather than due to any failings in his ministerial duties.
Gwarzo further suggested that the President should have appointed Nasiru Gawuna, the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kano State, as his successor.
This comes after Yusuf Ata was appointed as the new minister.
On October 23, 2024, a statement from the State House announced Gwarzo’s dismissal, along with that of four other ministers: Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Prof. Tahir Mamman (Education), and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth Development).
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However, 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.
“Before the announcement, the President had informed me of his decision.
“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.”
The former minister stated that Gawuna, as the APC leader in Kano Central, should have been considered for the ministerial role
“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?
“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 added.