Kano Governor Yusuf Mandates Resignation for Aides Targeting 2027 Elections
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has issued a stringent seven-day ultimatum, requiring all political appointees and public servants who intend to contest in the upcoming 2027 elections to resign from their positions. This directive, announced on Tuesday, March 25, 2026, through a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Faruq Ibrahim, sets a deadline of Tuesday, March 31, 2026, for affected officials to either resign or retire from service.
Scope of the Directive and Affected Officials
The order applies to a wide range of high-ranking officials within the state government, including commissioners, special advisers, directors-general, executive secretaries, managing directors, senior special assistants, senior special reporters, special assistants, special reporters, and personal assistants. Governor Yusuf emphasized that this measure is designed to ensure strict adherence to legal frameworks, particularly Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which governs the participation of public officers in partisan political activities.
In the statement, it was clarified that the directive aims to uphold core principles of neutrality, accountability, and integrity within the public service. "In line with the provisions of the Electoral Act and other applicable regulations governing the conduct of public officers, all political office holders who wish to contest in the forthcoming elections are hereby required to resign their appointments," the statement read. It further added, "Accordingly, all public officers who are interested in contesting in the forthcoming general elections are required to resign or retire, as the case may be, on or before Tuesday, March 31, 2026."
Implementation and Distribution of the Order
To ensure widespread compliance, copies of the directive have been formally distributed to key government offices, including the Chief of Staff to the Governor, the Head of Civil Service, the Clerk of the Kano State House of Assembly, and the Chief Registrars of the High Court and Sharia Court of Appeal in the state. This move underscores the governor's commitment to enforcing electoral laws and maintaining ethical standards in public administration, as the state prepares for the political activities leading up to the 2027 elections.
