The Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has forwarded the name of former commissioner and APC stalwart, Alhaji Murtala Garo, to the State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation as Deputy Governor.
The announcement was contained in a statement released on Wednesday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad, who said the nomination followed the vacancy created after the resignation of the former deputy governor, Abdussalam Gwarzo, on March 27, 2026.
According to the statement, the governor acted in line with constitutional provisions.
“Following wide consultations with key stakeholders, the governor has requested the Assembly to grant the necessary approval for Garo’s nomination,” the statement said.
It added that the decision was taken under Section 191(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers a state governor to nominate a replacement when a deputy governor’s office becomes vacant.
Muhammad described Garo as an experienced politician with over 20 years in public service, noting his roles across different levels of governance in Kano State.
He said the nominee, aged 48, had previously served as State Organising Secretary of his party, Special Adviser to the governor, and Chairman of Kabo Local Government Area.
He also held positions as Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Kano State and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Garo was the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress during the 2023 general elections.
The statement further explained that the nomination was part of efforts by the administration to strengthen governance and improve service delivery in the state, pending confirmation by the House of Assembly.
Recall that the former deputy governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo (also referred to as Abdussalam Gwarzo or Comrade Aminu Abdussalam), resigned on March 27, 2026, amid an impeachment process initiated by the Kano State House of Assembly.
The assembly, led by 38 APC lawmakers, accused him of financial impropriety, abuse of office, gross misconduct, and breach of trust—including allegedly collecting N462 million in kickbacks from local councils over seven months and N726 million for “special assignments,” plus facilitating N440 million to a pharmaceutical firm in violation of procurement laws.
Gwarzo denied the allegations, stating his resignation was for the state’s stability and to avoid admitting guilt, after a court rejected his bid to halt the impeachment; the assembly later withdrew the notice post-resignation
