The ousted Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo, has expressed strong disapproval over his dismissal from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, insisting that he was not responsible for any shortcomings in his performance.
Gwarzo was removed during a cabinet reshuffle on October 23, 2024, which saw the president also part ways with four other ministers.
The ministers dismissed alongside Gwarzo include 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).
In response to his removal, Gwarzo revealed that President Tinubu had personally informed him of the decision before it was officially announced to the public.
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Despite his dismissal, Gwarzo maintained that his performance in office had been satisfactory and rejected any suggestion of incompetence.
Speaking with BBC Hausa, the sacked 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 a large portion 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.
“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.”
