Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, has defended his allegiance to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso, while halting the salaries of over 10,000 workers hired under his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Speaking on Monday at the swearing-in of new commissioners at the Africa House in the Kano State Government House, Yusuf asserted that Kwankwaso’s vast experience as a governor, senator, and minister makes him a deserving leader to be followed.
“He was a governor in Kano State, minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and former senator — we must tap from his experience. He deserves to be my leader, and I’m proud to be his loyal follower,” Yusuf said.
Addressing the challenges faced by his administration, Yusuf said his government decided to halt salary payments to workers hired during the tenure of former Governor Ganduje.
He criticised the previous administration for what he referred to as burdening the incoming government with an additional 10,700 workers.
“They employed 10,700 workers to add an unnecessary burden to our government. But we know how to deal with the problem. As of now, we have stopped their salaries until we conclude our investigation,” Yusuf firmly stated.
By temporarily halting the salaries, the governor said he aimed to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the appointments and ensure the government’s resources are efficiently allocated.
The decision to support Kwankwaso and confront the employment issue head-on may be seen as a reflection of Yusuf’s determination to lead Kano State in a manner that aligns with an opposing ideology for the welfare of its citizens.