Article summary
- Governor Yusuf says all public places and assets that were “immorally plundered” and sold by the Ganduje administration should be taken over by law enforcement agencies pending the final decision of the Government.
- Assets include schools, religious and cultural sites, hospitals and clinics, graveyards and green areas, and along the city walls of Kano.
- The Kano state governor claims the past administration sold assets to its cronies.
The newly inaugurated governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, wasted no time in taking action against what he described as the “immoral plunder” of assets during the previous administration led by former governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
In a statement released on Monday night, governor Yusuf announced the seizure of properties that were allegedly sold under questionable circumstances. He directed law enforcement agencies to take control of these assets, signaling his commitment to combat corruption and restore transparency in governance.
Takeover
Yusuf in a late statement on Monday revealed that the move is in line with his transition advisory, noting that the decision is pending a final decision by the Government, he said:
- “In line with our transition advisory. I am announcing, today, that all public places and assets that were immorally plundered and sold by the Ganduje administration should be taken over by law enforcement agencies pending the final decision of the Government.
Assets
He added that the Ganduje government sold lands around schools, and hospitals indiscriminately to cronies and agents, stating:
- “We have noted that the last administration had sold lands in and around schools, religious and cultural sites, hospitals and clinics, graveyards, and green areas, and along the city walls of Kano. We have also noted that they indiscriminately sold numerous other landed properties and assets belonging to the Kano State Government within and outside the State to their cronies and agents.”
Abba Yusuf contested under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and was declared the winner of the Kano governorship election by INEC in March. Yusuf defeated Gawuna with 1,019,602 votes, while Gawuna polled 890,705 votes.
Gawuna was the candidate of ex-Governor Ganduje and was also the deputy governor of the state.
Kano Economy in 2023
The Nigerian Government this month said it will generate about $800 million from the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, announced that FEC approved the concession of the Abuja airport for 20 years, while the international airport in Kano will be concessioned for 30 years by Corporación America Airports.
Sirika also said the approval was part of the ministry’s roadmap aimed at putting the nation’s assets under concession rather than privatisation.
He noted that the concession would generate $797.4 million (N368.8 billion) as fees and taxes from the concessionaire, he said:
- “The consortium that won the bid is Mssr Corporación America Airports consortium and in the consortium, they have Mssr Mota-Engil Africa and Mssr Mota-Engil Nigeria and this is through a PPP, and it’s for 20 years for Abuja, and 30 years for Kano.”
