Kano Election Tribunal: Gov Sacks Commissioner, Adviser, For Outbursts Against Judges, Shettima

By Adesina Soyooye

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf,  has dismissed from office, his Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Adamu Kibiya, for threatening the lives of Judges on the Panel of the Governorship Election Tribunal in the State.

In the same manner, the Governor, also, fired his Special Adviser on Youth and Sports, Aliyu Yusuf Imam, popular as “Ogan Boye”, for making unguarded statements against Vice President Kashim Shettima.

In a now viral video, the Commissioner asked the Judges handling the Petition against Governor Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, by the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, to choose between their lives and their work in the deliverance of the judgement.

The sacked Commissioner said in part: “People voted for us and some people are attempting to do injustice. We want to tell the Judges that we will not accept this. Any Judge that is willing to deprive us of our rights will regret it. Whatever will happen, we won’t care”

He said this  during a protest organised by members of the ruling New  NNPP in the State against what they perceive as the alleged body language of the Tribunal Judges.

Embarrassed by the viral video, the Governor fired Kibiya. He also fired Special Adviser, Imam, over his unguarded and disrespectful utterances against Vice President Shettima.

The Governor’s action was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye when he  addressed  journalists at Government House, Kano, on Friday. He said the Governor ordered the dismissal from office of both men with immediate effect.

Dantiye  said the utterances  by Kibiya and Imam do not represent the position of the State Government on the Judges and the Vice President

Dantiye: “While condemning the unfortunate threat to the Judges and the disrespect shown to the VP, we wish to make it categorically clear that the views expressed do not represent the official position of the State Government under the leadership of His Excellency Alh Abba Kabir Yusuf.

“It is important to emphasise that neither of the two officials have any clearance to speak on behalf of Government and none of them serves as official spokesperson of the Government.

“Kano State Government under HE Abba Kabir Yusuf holds the Judiciary in very high esteem and expresses tremendous amount of respect to Justices and all Judicial Officers.

“Besides, the good understanding between the Government and people of Kano State and Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Kano State Governor HE Alh. Abba Kabir Yusuf deeply respects the person and office of the Vice President His Excellency Alh. Kashim Shettima, GCON, and will not condone any lota of disrespect on the Vice President or any other Nigerian leader.

“The Government has also directed that, henceforth, no official of Government should speak on any matter outside the purview of their MDAs without express clearance and permission.

“Henceforth, unguarded and inflammatory statements will not be condoned. The Ministry of Information is directed to ensure that all Media outlets in the State, especially, Radio stations are complying with the extant guidelines provided by regulatory agencies.

“While expressing our faith in the judicial process, believing very strangly that justice will prevail at all the levels of judicial processes, the Kano State Government wishes to call on all residents in the State to remain law-abiding and continue to go about their normal businesses without any hindrances.”