{"id":98246,"date":"2026-03-27T22:50:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T22:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=98246"},"modified":"2026-03-27T22:50:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T22:50:55","slug":"kano-political-crisis-deepens-as-deputy-governor-resigns-amid-power-struggle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=98246","title":{"rendered":"Kano political crisis deepens as deputy governor resigns amid power struggle"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">A fresh wave of political uncertainty has engulfed Kano State following the resignation of Deputy Governor <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">, a development that underscores deepening fractures within the state\u2019s political architecture and raises new questions about the stability of the administration of Abba Kabir Yusuf.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 23px;\"><b>Sudden Exit Amid Mounting Pressure<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Gwarzo\u2019s resignation, confirmed on Friday by his spokesperson, comes after days of heightened tension between the deputy governor and the Kano State House of Assembly. Although no official reason was immediately provided, multiple reports indicate that the move followed <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>impeachment proceedings and allegations of misconduct<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"> initiated by lawmakers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">The Assembly had reportedly accused the deputy governor of <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>abuse of office, breach of public trust, and financial impropriety<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">, while also advancing disciplinary processes widely interpreted as a prelude to removal from office. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">In a statement attributed to political allies, the resignation was said to be a step taken \u201cin the interest of stability,\u201d allowing governance to proceed without disruption, even as the embattled deputy governor <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>denied wrongdoing<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">The resignation is the clearest signal yet of a widening crisis within Kano\u2019s executive arm, reflecting a breakdown in relations between major political actors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Observers note that tensions had been building for weeks, with the legislature asserting oversight authority and the deputy governor seeking legal protection, including an unsuccessful attempt to halt impeachment proceedings in court. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">The episode exposes a <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>fragile power balance<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"> between the executive and legislature, reminiscent of previous political crises in states where impeachment threats have been used as leverage in intra-elite struggles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">At the heart of the crisis lies <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>political realignment in Kano State<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">, triggered by Governor Yusuf\u2019s recent defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">The defection has reshaped loyalties within government, creating <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>factional tensions among political appointees and elected officials<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">. The deputy governor\u2019s position, it was learnt, may have become untenable within the new alignment, especially if he was perceived as belonging to a different faction or power bloc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">The administration has since embarked on <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>structural changes<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">, including dismissals and reshuffles of key officials, in what insiders describe as an effort to consolidate authority and align governance with the governor\u2019s new political direction. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">The crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of preparations for the <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>2027 general elections<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">, which are already reshaping political behaviour in Kano.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Earlier this week, the governor directed all political appointees seeking elective office to resign by the end of March 2026, citing compliance with electoral laws and the need for administrative neutrality. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">This directive has intensified <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>competition within the ruling structure<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">, as ambitious politicians reposition themselves, sometimes at the expense of internal cohesion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Kano\u2019s current turmoil is not without precedent. The state has a long history of <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>elite rivalry, party switching, and institutional confrontation<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">, often tied to its status as one of Nigeria\u2019s most politically influential states.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Governor Yusuf himself has navigated legal and political turbulence since his election in 2023, including a prolonged court battle that ultimately affirmed his mandate. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Additionally, Kano has recently witnessed other contentious developments &#8211; such as disputes over traditional leadership and emirate authority &#8211; further highlighting the <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>interconnected nature of political power struggles in the state<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Gwarzo\u2019s resignation triggers a constitutional process requiring the governor to nominate a replacement, subject to approval by the State Assembly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\">However, beyond procedural implications, the development raises other concerns:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>\u2022 Governance continuity:<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"> Leadership instability may slow policy implementation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>\u2022 Legislative assertiveness:<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"> The Assembly\u2019s role signals a more confrontational posture. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>\u2022 Party cohesion:<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"> Ongoing defections and realignments risk fragmenting the ruling coalition. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"><b>\u2022 Electoral positioning:<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 17px;\"> The crisis may shape alliances ahead of 2027.\u00a0<\/span><!--\/data\/user\/0\/com.samsung.android.app.notes\/files\/clipdata\/clipdata_bodytext_260327_234540_524.sdocx--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A fresh wave of political uncertainty has engulfed Kano State following the resignation of Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, a development that underscores deepening fractures within the state\u2019s political architecture and raises new questions about the stability of the administration of Abba Kabir Yusuf. Sudden Exit Amid Mounting Pressure Gwarzo\u2019s resignation, confirmed on Friday by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":98247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8],"tags":[189,8163,90,4730,2151],"class_list":["post-98246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-politics","tag-apc","tag-gwarzo","tag-kano","tag-nnpp","tag-resignation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=98246"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98246\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/98247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=98246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=98246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=98246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}