The Cost of “Shadow Governance”: Why Sidelining the Information Ministry Weakens the APC’s New Kano Base
By Mohammed Babagana Abubakar
Email: aunodigitalabuba@gmail.com
The political landscape of Kano State has reached a critical crossroads. Following Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s strategic transition to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the administration’s primary task is no longer just governance; it is persuasion. The government must convince a highly informed and politically conscious populace that this move was a selfless act aimed at unlocking federal capital projects and human development.
However, a worrying trend is emerging in the “corridors of power” that threatens to undermine this effort: the apparent sidelining of the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, led by Comdr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, in favor of a “shadow” communication structure.
In recent high-level planning, including the committee for the upcoming APC convention, the absence of the sitting Commissioner for Information is a glaring omission. In any functional democracy, the Commissioner for Information is the statutory “Publicity General” of the state. When this office is bypassed, it creates a “Shadow Governance” effect where personal aides (spokespersons) overshadow institutional heads.
While a spokesperson speaks for the Governor, a Commissioner speaks for the Government. To the average Kano citizen, the Ministry of Information carries the weight of the state. By sidelining Comdr. Waiya, the administration risks making the APC transition look like a “private deal” rather than a state-wide policy shift.
Comdr. Waiya has been exceptionally active in explaining the Governor’s “Kano-First” agenda. His background in civil society and his ability to articulate the benefits of federal alignment (access to infrastructure and social intervention programs) are assets the APC desperately needs to consolidate its new base.
In the eyes of the national APC leadership and the opposition, the exclusion of a key cabinet member from a party convention committee signals internal friction. It suggests a “kitchen cabinet” is at war with the official cabinet, a narrative that the NNPP is eager to exploit.
Kano people are currently at a stage where they need “Public Awareness,” not just “Publicity.” They need to understand that the move to the APC is the key to finishing major projects roads, schools, and health centers through federal synergy.
Comdr. Waiya has demonstrated a unique capacity for this type of grassroots engagement. His exclusion from the convention committee doesn’t just silence him; it silences the most professional channel the Governor has for reaching the skeptical masses.
For Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to succeed in this new political chapter, he must ensure a Unity of Command in his communication strategy. You cannot win a war with two generals who do not talk to each other, or by leaving your most active commander off the battlefield.
The APC in Kano will only be as strong as it is united. The Governor must recognize that the Ministry of Information is the engine room of public trust. Restoring the Commissioner to his rightful place in party and state committees is not just a matter of fairness it is a matter of political survival. To sideline the Ministry is to weaken the very base the Governor is trying to build.
