Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has ordered the immediate suspension of Ibrahim Rabi’u, a Senior Special Reporter (SSR) attached to the Ministry of Transportation, over an unauthorized statement concerning Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s alleged defection.
The suspension, announced by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, takes effect immediately. The government has also issued a formal query to Rabi’u regarding his remarks, which it said were made without official clearance.
Rabi’u had over the weekend issued a statement regarding Kwankwaso’s political stance amid defection speculations—claims the former governor promptly denied.
In a press release from the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, the state government distanced itself from Rabi’u’s statement, describing it as a personal opinion made for motives “best known to him.”
The statement reaffirmed that only the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Waiya, is authorized to speak on behalf of the state government, while Bature himself remains the official voice of the governor.
“All political appointees are hereby cautioned against making unauthorized public statements, particularly on matters beyond their jurisdiction,” the release stated. “Any commentary on issues of government policy or sensitive political developments must receive prior clearance.”
The development underscores the administration’s efforts to maintain message discipline amid heightened political tensions and rumors of internal party shifts.
