By Com. Munir I. Publisher
In politics, timing reveals motive.
Alhaji Buba Galadima’s recent attacks on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf did not arise from any sudden passion for democracy. They surfaced immediately after his removal as Chairman of the Governing Council of Kano State Polytechnic, an administrative decision taken as part of institutional restructuring and performance review.
Let us be clear: this is not about democracy. It is about disappointment.
Kano State remains politically vibrant and open. Opposition figures speak freely. The media operates unhindered. Political activities continue without suppression. Yet only after losing office does Galadima suddenly discover “authoritarianism.” The coincidence is too obvious to ignore.
Public office is not a lifetime entitlement. It is a responsibility subject to evaluation. When government takes steps to strengthen institutions, those affected may feel aggrieved — but personal grievance does not automatically translate into democratic crisis.
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Equally concerning is his attempt to drag the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kano into his allegations. This is unfair and misleading. The DSS operates within its constitutional mandate and remains committed to maintaining peace and public order. Security agencies are not instruments of state-level political vendettas, and suggesting otherwise is either a misunderstanding of federal structures or a deliberate distortion of facts.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration has nothing to gain from silencing opposition. Healthy political competition strengthens governance. What cannot be tolerated, however, is the deliberate spread of falsehood and sensational claims designed to manufacture relevance.
Freedom of expression is a constitutional right. Freedom to misinform is not.
There is a familiar pattern in Nigerian politics: when influence fades or office is lost, some suddenly rebrand themselves as victims of persecution. But the people of Kano are politically mature. They can distinguish between principled criticism and bitterness dressed up as activism.
Kano is moving forward. Institutional standards are being raised. Accountability is being strengthened. Not everyone will be comfortable with that shift, but progress rarely pleases those who benefit from the old order.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf continues to enjoy broad grassroots support and remains firmly focused on governance, reform, and inclusive development. No amount of grievance-driven rhetoric can rewrite that reality.
Kano deserves serious politics, not outrage triggered by personal loss.
In the end, history will draw a clear line between those who build institutions and those who attack them after losing office.
