The Kano State Government said Hafiz Abubakar tendered his resignation as deputy governor on Sunday to avoid being removed from office.
In a statement signed by Kano State Commissioner of Information, Muhammad Garba, on Sunday evening, the government said Mr Abubakar resigned having realised that 30 out of the 40 members of the Kano State House of Assembly have signed to commence his removal.
Mr Garba said the deputy governor was to be removed for his allegedly false and unfounded allegations as well as undermining the state government.
The statement also accused Mr Abubakar of making unguarded comments capable of causing disaffection particularly in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state in general.
“The deputy governor, who doubled as commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, has publicly forsake the Ganduje Administration and swore allegiance to his political Godfather, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso,” Mr Garba said.
The commissioner said Mr Abubakar’s claim that his life and those of his family were under threat was false.
He also expressed dismay over allegation of non-payment of entitlements due the former deputy governor, saying in 2017 alone, over N120 million was paid to him as travelling allowance for local and foreign trips; while in 2018, over N30 million has been paid to him for various travelling allowances.
‘’Of recent, in July, to be precise, the sum of N7, 409, 575.00 was released to the former deputy governor to travel to the United Kingdom to receive an Honourary Degree from the University of Reading; the sum of N7,800, 000.00 was also paid as his travelling allowance to Khartoum, Sudan for the convocation ceremony of the University of Africa; for a trip to the United Kingdom for the World Education Forum, the sum of N8, 509, 000.00 was paid to him; while his trip to Saudi Arabia for his daughters’ graduation was also sponsored by the state government, among other privileges extended to him’’, the statement revealed.
The commissioner also challenged the former deputy governor on allegations that the state government has committed resources to sponsor rallies in support of his removal from office, adding that the gravity of the allegation may prompt the government to take appropriate action.
‘’The former deputy governor ought to have landed safely and quietly instead of making unsubstantiated allegations just to draw attention,” he concluded.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Abubakar resigned his position giving various reasons. His resignation letter was dated August 4.
The sour relationship between Mr Abubakar and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje became public when the former petitioned the police and other security agencies that the Kano State Government has released funds to the 44 local government councils to organise a protest in the state capital to call for either his resignation or removal from office.
Mr Abubakar is an ally of ex-governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party. Mr Abubakar is expected to join him in the PDP.
Mr Kwankwaso, a serving senator, seeks to be Nigerian president on the PDP platform. He was the benefactor to Mr Ganduje until both men fell apart.
