Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Kano State have submitted three nominees to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for consideration to fill the vacant office of deputy governor.
The decision followed a meeting held on Saturday after consultations among party leaders.
The meeting was chaired by former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and attended by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, and other stakeholders.
At the end of the meeting, the stakeholders submitted the names of former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum; former Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sule Garo; and Rabiu Suleiman Bichi.
The vacancy followed the resignation of former Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, amid impeachment threats by the Kano State House of Assembly over allegations of misconduct.
Before the intervention of party stakeholders, discussions had centred on the emergence of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Jibril Isma’il Falgore, and Mr Garo as leading contenders.
However, the latest development indicates a shift towards broader consultations within the party ahead of a final decision.
Although the constitution empowers the governor to nominate a deputy governor, subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly, such decisions are often shaped by internal party consultations.
A senior party source who attended the meeting told reporters that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is reportedly more comfortable with the candidacy of Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, describing him as a “politically balanced and widely acceptable figure” within and outside the party.
According to the source, “The governor is more comfortable with Rurum because of his wide acceptability and experience. That sentiment was clear during the discussions.”
The source also disclosed that some stakeholders expressed reservations about the choice of Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, noting concerns over his limited grassroots political structure across the state.
“Some of the stakeholders were not impressed with Bichi’s level of grassroots penetration. They believe he does not yet have the political structure required to mobilise effectively across the state,” the source said.
On Murtala Sule Garo, another insider noted that his ongoing corruption case influenced the tone of discussions among party leaders.
“There were concerns raised about Garo’s ongoing corruption charges. While nothing has been proven, the issue is politically sensitive and it affected how some stakeholders viewed his nomination,” the source added.
Among the nominees, Mr Rurum, who is serving member representing Rano, Kibiya and Bunkure Federal Constituency, is widely regarded within political circles as a prominent figure from Kano South with experience in legislative leadership and strong grassroots mobilisation.
Mr Garo, who previously served as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Kano State under the Ganduje administration, is currently facing N57.4 billion corruption charges filed by the Kano State Government before the State High Court. The case includes allegations of financial mismanagement involving local government funds, while a related appeal is pending at the Court of Appeal.
Mr Bichi, a technocrat and current Managing Director of the Hadejia–Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, is considered to have limited political structure and grassroots influence in Kano’s political landscape.
The Kano State Government is yet to make an official statement on the next step regarding the appointment.
