Abdullahi Gwarzo, the dismissed Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, has opposed his removal from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, asserting that he was not guilty of poor performance.
In a cabinet reshuffle on October 23, 2024, President Tinubu dismissed Gwarzo along with four other ministers: Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism; Prof. Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education; and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development.
Gwarzo commented that the president notified him about the decision to relieve him of his duties before it was publicly announced.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, the dismissed minister expressed surprise, saying, “I was taken aback because there was no indication of any wrongdoing or poor performance on my part.
“I served as minister of state, with the senior minister handling the majority of the Ministry’s responsibilities.
“The President informed me of his decision prior to the public announcement.”
He explained that Kano North had an excess of political appointees, which created a need for balance. “We offered our suggestions, but they were dismissed.
“At that point, I started suspecting that certain individuals were involved in this decision, as I didn’t see that as a legitimate reason.”
If the ministerial position is intended for Kano Central, then our 2023 governorship candidate, who is also our leader in that area, should be considered for it.
“Gawuna should be offered the role first, and only if he turns it down should it go to someone else.
“All other candidates from Plateau and Zamfara states who ran for governor were given positions.”
