My Sack Was Political, Not Poor Performance – Gwarzo
Abdullahi Gwarzo, the immediate past Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, says his sack from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) by President Bola Tinubu had nothing to do with so-called poor performance.
According to him, contrary to insinuations in some quarters, his being dropped from the Cabinet as a Minister was surprising because there was no evidence to suggest that he was guilty of unsatisfactory performance or wrongdoing.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, the former Minister said; “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 many 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.”
Specifically, Gwarzo said there were serious political undertones behind his removal and eventual replacement from FEC, adding that the slot given to Yusuf Ata should have gone to Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who was the 2023 All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Kano State.
He further said; “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”
Forefront News recalled that in a statement by the Presidency on October 23, 2024, Tinubu dismissed Gwarzo alongside four others, including the Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; the Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim; Minister of Women Affairs, Uju-Ken Ohanenye; and Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman.
