Abdullahi Gwarzo, the former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, has clarified that his dismissal by President Bola Tinubu had nothing to do with his performance in office.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Gwarzo expressed his surprise at the decision, stating that he had not been found guilty of any wrongdoing or subpar performance during his tenure.
“I was shocked by the dismissal because there was no accusation against me regarding poor performance or misconduct,” Gwarzo explained.
He also pointed out that as Minister of State, he worked closely with the senior minister, who oversaw a significant portion of the ministry’s activities.
Before the announcement of his removal, Gwarzo said President Tinubu had personally informed him of the decision, citing an imbalance in political appointments in Kano North as the reason for the change.
According to Gwarzo, the president explained that the region had an overrepresentation of political officers, necessitating a more balanced distribution.
However, Gwarzo felt the reasoning was insufficient and suggested that other individuals may have played a role in his removal.
The former minister also expressed disappointment with the choice of Yusuf Ata as his replacement, arguing that the slot should have gone to Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the 2023 governorship candidate for Kano.
“If the ministerial slot was intended for Kano Central, we have a capable candidate in Gawuna, who is also a key leader in the region. He should have been offered the position first,” Gwarzo stated.
He added that if Gawuna declined, the role could then be offered to another candidate.
Gwarzo pointed out that similar positions had been given to candidates from other states, such as Plateau and Zamfara, who had contested for governorship elections.
This, he suggested, should have been the case for Kano as well.
Gwarzo emphasized that his removal was not related to his performance, and he remains perplexed by the rationale behind his dismissal.
