By Abba Anwar
Forget the sirens and the tinted convoy. Real governance is not loud. It is whether a retired teacher who served for 35 years can finally collect his gratuity after 10 years of waiting. Whether a mother in Argungu finds drugs and a midwife at 2am. Whether the state that once kept classrooms as ruins now keeps its promises. That is how you know who will last.
In the last two years, work has taken me across Nigeria – from Minna to Maiduguri, from Birnin Kebbi to Makurdi, from Lagos to Owerri and Asaba. The story is similar everywhere: impressive flyovers going up, but basic people-needs falling apart. Many states are building monuments. Very few are building people.
In Kebbi State, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, chose the second. And that is why today, when you put his scorecard side by side with many of his colleagues, he stands out. Let me explain.
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When Nasir Idris took over on May 29, 2023, Kebbi was owing gratuities from 2015. The ultra-modern secretariat started in 2006 was an abandoned skeleton at Gwadangaji where reptiles lived. Township roads in Birnin Kebbi, Argungu and Yauri were broken. Over 1,000 schools were dilapidated. PHCs had no staff.
Three years after, there are improvements everywhere that even his opponents cannot deny. Just read on.
In the Education Sector over 2,000 schools renovated and furnished, over 200 new schools built from scratch. Recruited 2,000 primary teachers, 1,500 secondary, 500 science teachers, absorbed 300 volunteer teachers. Abolished casualisation – in Kebbi before, a teacher worked 10 years on N15,000 as casual. Now permanent. Restored Headmasters allowances abandoned for 20 years. Cleared N6.2 billion inherited scholarship debt, sponsored 23,558 students, plus 144 in India and Egypt. Increased boarding feeding to N300 million monthly. Signed law extending teachers retirement to 65 years. No state in Nigeria has done that package.
In the Health Sector he revitalised 22 General Hospitals, 179 PHCs and 63 dispensaries. Recruited over 2,200 health workers. Deployed mobile clinics to riverine Argungu and Yauri.
He did his best to see that Kebbi is not left behind in infrastructural development. He dualized and constructed over 88 roads, including the strategic 87km Koko-Zuru-Mahuta-Dabai corridor revived with N64 billion after 15 years abandonment. Over 300km rural roads linking 150 farming communities. Built State Secretariat, Central Motor Park, reconstructed Kayan Gwari Market.
As a welfarist leader who believes in the promotion of public transport to ease seemless movement of his people, he made sure that he deployed over 800 mass transit buses across 21 LGAs, plus buses for all tertiary institutions. Student in Zuru now pays N100 instead of N500 on okada.
As a unionist he prioritizes workers welfare. He pays N75,000 minimum wage when federal minimum is N70,000. Is among the first three governors to do so. Cleared over N10 billion gratuities and death benefits, including N2.11 billion for 772 retirees recently. Zero arrears. Salaries paid on 24th-25th every month. Extended service years for teachers, medical and veterinary workers.
Under agriculture he distributed 500 trucks of fertilizer free, 10,000 solar irrigation pumps, 10,000 LPG pumps, tillers, sprayers. Secured African Development Bank (AfDB) financing for Special Agro-Processing Zone in Argungu. Launched Kaura Cares – billions in livelihood support for women and youth.
For the security of his people he provided over 100 Hilux vehicles and about 7,000 motorcycles to security agencies and vigilantes, enabling displaced communities in Danko Wasagu to return home with smile on their faces.
Kebbi state Pilgrims are among the Pilgrims that enjoy best treatment by state governments across the country. Planning and management of the Pilgrims agency in Kebbi state, clearly demonstrates how spiritually upright is the Governor. So also the leaders of the agency managing its affairs. The same thing goes to other ministries, departments and agencies.
His is the best.
My reader can clearly understand His Excellency, the Governor, when compared with other Governors across the country. Now, compare him with two governors from each zone. Not to mock anyone, but to show where Kebbi is leading.
In North Central’s Niger state of Umar Bago and Benue state’s Hyacinth Alia, it is believe that both are hardworking. Bago is doing well on agriculture and urban renewal in Minna. Alia is trying to clear salary arrears. But Kebbi beats them on one thing: consistency of payment. While Niger and Benue were still negotiating N70k minimum wage implementation in late 2024 and battling months of gratuity backlog, Kebbi had already paid N75k and cleared over N10bn gratuities. In education, while Niger renovated about 400 schools, Kebbi did over 2,000. In rural roads, Kebbi’s 300km linking 150 communities is ahead of many North Central states where rural roads are still donor-driven.
In North East’s Borno state of Babagana Zulum and Bauchi state of Bala Mohammed, it accepted that Zulum is a national star on reconstruction. No one disputes that. But even Zulum has admitted that welfare remains a challenge due to insurgency. Kebbi, with peace, was able to do what Borno cannot yet do – full CONHESS reinstatement, N75k wage, and permanent absorption of casual teachers. Bauchi has done well on infrastructure in Bauchi metropolis, but still struggles with over 1,500 schools in bad shape and salary delays in LGAs. Kebbi renovated more schools than Bauchi and Bauchi combined in same period and pays salaries earlier.
While in North West’s Sokoto state of Ahmed Aliyu and Zamfara state of Dauda Lawal, yes neighboring states, but this is where the difference is clearest. A recent national PHC delivery report ranked Zamfara as worst performing in PHC delivery, followed by Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi’s neighbours as weak performers. In some of those states, PHC capital budget performance was 0 to 6.5% – meaning budgeted money not released. In Sokoto, there are still reports of multimillion Naira hospitals abandoned while residents travel far. In Zamfara, salary and pension arrears remain a big issue. Kebbi, their neighbour, revitalised 179 PHCs, recruited 2,200 health workers, and owes zero gratuity. While Zamfara and Sokoto are still struggling to provide basic cotton wool in clinics, Kebbi is building Cancer Centre, ICUs, and 800 buses. Same zone, same allocation, different result.
In South West’s Lagos state of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Oyo state of Seyi Makinde the comparison goes this way. Lagos has money – N2.2 trillion budget. It does Blue Line, Red Line, Lekki port. But check workers welfare. Lagos still pays N70k and has backlog of pensions. Kebbi pays N75k. In education, Lagos has 1,700 public schools, many still overcrowded with 80 pupils per class. Kebbi renovated 2,000 schools – more than total public schools in Lagos. Oyo has done well with 5km per LGA roads and wage award, but still has 700 schools needing renovation and still negotiates gratuity clearance from 2013. Kebbi cleared all from 2015 to date. The point is not that Lagos is not working. It is that Kebbi with one-tenth of Lagos allocation did more for teachers and retirees.
For South East’s Anambra state of Chukwuma Soludo and Imo state of Hope Uzodimma, let’s see the comparison. Soludo is an economist, brilliant on fiscal reforms, but Anambra has had teachers protest over casualisation and low pay. Imo has had issues with salary regularity and pension. Kebbi abolished casualisation completely, gave permanent letters, and restored allowances abandoned for 20 years. While Anambra and Imo are still battling IPOB sit-at-home affecting school calendar, Kebbi extended school feeding to N300m monthly and kept schools open. In infrastructure, while South East focuses on flyovers in Owerri and Awka, Kebbi focused on 300km rural roads that move rice to market – directly touching GDP.
As South South’s Rivers state under Sim Fubara and Delta state under Sheriff Oborevwori, as both have huge FAAC because of oil. Rivers budget is over N800bn, Delta similar. They build big flyovers and bridges. But check social indicators: Rivers still owes gratuities from 2015, Delta has 2,000 schools needing renovation according to its own SUBEB report. Kebbi, with about N300bn budget, cleared gratuities, renovated 2,000 schools, and still built 88 roads. The World Bank keeps saying: big infrastructure without human capital does not reduce poverty. Kebbi chose human capital first – teachers, health workers, fertilizer, buses – and that is why Sultan said “I have not seen any state where a governor united all his predecessors like Nasir Idris has done.” In Rivers and Delta, former Governors are in court with current Governors. In Kebbi, Aliero, Dakingari and Bagudu sit on same stage.
Why second term is not debatable. Looking at the development he brought to the state, his comparison with other states across the six geo-political zones we can say his reelection bid is non negotiable. This is why Emir of Argungu said once said “He deserves second term. It is his turn.”_ This is why APC national leaders once listed him among three most outstanding APC governors. This is why former Governor Aliero, who is in PDP, confessed, “I have seen the commendable developments, but my fear is my party may be affected with the rate you are going.”
Second term is not about party. It is about continuity. Koko-Zuru road needs 8 years. Argungu Agro-Processing Zone needs 8 years. 300km rural roads need 8 years. If electorate stop him at 4, they automatically abandon the projects.
Governors who build flyovers get photos. Governors who build teachers, retirees, PHCs and rural roads get votes. And they get legacy.
Nasir Idris is in the second category. And that is why, when you put him side by side with many of his peers across the six zones, the difference is not noise. It is in the classroom where a child now sits on new furniture, in the PHC where a woman now sees a midwife, and in the bank alert that enters on the 25th of every month.
With the feats achieved in Kebbi state by the state government under Kauran Gwandu, the spirit of renewed hope is ignited in the minds of the electorate to give all APC candidates from top to bottom, all the necessary support to be reelected.
That is the Kauran Gwandu model. Quiet, but impossible to ignore.
Anwar writes from Kano
Sunday, 11th October, 2026
