•Yusuf Ata
The newly appointed Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, has said his mission is to deliver Kano State to the All Progressives Congress in 2027.
The development came as the immediate-past minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, faulted the decision to choose Ata as his replacement, describing it as a wrong political decision, reports The PUNCH.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after his maiden visit to Kano after his swearing-in as minister, Ata said, “My appointment was mainly for political reasons, APC has lost Kano State and now it will take Kano State. The main problem is the Kano Central and I am from there.
“Even as a minister, I will continue to sit in this ward, we are going to work very hard to see that APC gains control of Kano State by 2027.
“My mission, like I said, is purely political. Even though I am posted to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, I will do my work but I will be coming to Kano State every week so as to work towards gaining control of the state.”
The minister appreciated President Bola Tinubu for the appointment, adding that it was not for his own person but for the citizens of Kano and Nigeria as well.
He, therefore, assured the President that come 2027, the APC will win Kano.
“This is my assurance given to the president,” he said.
The president had sacked Gwarzo alongside four other ministers in a recent cabinet reshuffle.
Speaking during an interview with the BBC Hausa service on Saturday, Gwarzo said the president should have chosen the APC standard-bearer in the 2023 governorship election, Nasiru Gawuna, in order to improve the party’s fortunes in Kano Central senatorial district.
The former minister said his sack was not due to poor performance but political schemings orchestrated by some chieftains of the party in Kano.
“I was surprised because I wasn’t found guilty of any wrongdoing or poor performance. And I was a minister of state with the senior minister who handles a large chunk of the ministry’s activities.
“Before the announcement, the president had put me on notice 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 some people were behind this because for me that wasn’t a valid reason.
“If it’s true that the ministerial slot will be allocated to Kano Central, we have our 2023 governorship candidate, who is also our leader in Kano Central. Why not consider giving him the slot?” Gwarzo queried.
He added that Mr Gawuna’s current position could not sustain him to properly manage his structures.
“Gawuna should be offered the position first, unless he declines, in which case it could be given to someone else.
“All his other colleagues who contested in other states were given positions, such as the candidates from Plateau and Zamfara states,” Mr Gwarzo added.
The former minister added that he had accepted his fate and moved on as he pledged continued support for the administration of the president.
