Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has declared that the appointment of Murtala Sule Garo as deputy governor was the result of a thorough, merit-driven selection process aimed at securing the state’s future development.
Speaking through his spokesperson, Mustapha Muhammad, Governor Yusuf said Garo’s appointment was far from a rushed political decision. “Several candidates were carefully reviewed,” the statement read, with the final choice hinging on three critical benchmarks: past performance, proven competence, and the capacity to make meaningful contributions to Kano’s ongoing development agenda.
“The government wanted someone who could effectively support its development plans,” the statement added, signaling that the governor is placing considerable weight on the deputy governorship as a functional executive role, not merely a ceremonial one.
Garo’s path to the deputy governorship was opened when his predecessor, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, stepped down from the position, a development that set in motion a swift sequence of political and legislative action.
Last week, Governor Yusuf formally submitted Garo’s name to the Kano State House of Assembly, fulfilling the constitutional requirement for legislative screening and confirmation before an appointment of this magnitude can take effect.
What followed was, by any legislative standard, a brisk turnaround. The Assembly, led by Speaker Jibril Ismail Falgore, screened and confirmed Garo with notable speed, drawing praise from the governor himself, who commended the lawmakers for what he described as a swift and responsible discharge of their oversight duties.
Political observers may note that the seamless legislative process reflects a working alignment between the executive and the legislature in Kano—a dynamic that could prove critical as the state pursues its ambitious development targets in the months ahead.
With confirmation now secured, Governor Yusuf has indicated that Garo’s formal swearing-in ceremony is imminent. The governor seized the occasion to call on Kano residents to throw their support behind the incoming deputy governor, urging both citizens and stakeholders to give him the cooperation necessary to hit the ground running.
The announcement was made during the 39th Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Kano, a setting that underscored the official and weighty nature of the declaration.
The Executive Council meeting also served as a platform for Governor Yusuf to extend warm congratulations to Hajiya Bilkisu Shehu Maimota, who was announced as the state’s new Head of Service. The governor noted with evident satisfaction that Maimota was no stranger to distinction in public service, highlighting the “valuable contributions” she had already made in her previous roles within the civil service structure.
Characteristically, the governor turned the moment into a rallying call, urging civil servants and relevant stakeholders across the state to extend full cooperation to Maimota as she steps into her new leadership role.
As Kano State charts its course through an increasingly complex governance landscape, the dual appointments of a new deputy governor and a new head of service suggest that Governor Yusuf is actively reshaping the administrative architecture around him—assembling, in his own words, a team defined not by political convenience, but by the capacity to deliver.
Whether Murtala Sule Garo and Hajiya Bilkisu Shehu Maimota will live up to that billing remains to be seen. For now, the spotlight firmly belongs to them.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has appointed Murtala Sule Garo as deputy governor, replacing the outgoing Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo.
The appointment, confirmed swiftly by the State House of Assembly, was driven by merit, with Garo’s experience, competence, and commitment to development cited as the decisive factors. Alongside this, Hajiya Bilkisu Shehu Maimota was named the new Head of Service.
