By Atoyebi Nike
The Kano State Government has cautioned the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) over moves to establish a parallel Kano Elders Council, warning that the plan would duplicate a structure already created by the state.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf announced the formation of the Kano Elders Advisory Council in January 2024 as a non-partisan platform to provide guidance on governance and development. The state says processes are now underway to institutionalize the council ahead of its official inauguration.
In a statement on Wednesday, Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya said the advisory body was designed as an apolitical forum made up of eminent personalities such as former governors, lawmakers, retired judges, traditional rulers, Ulamas, and ex-service chiefs.
“The Council is deliberately conceived as a neutral body without political ambitions, standing instead as a collective forum for guidance, collaboration, and inclusive development,” Waiya stated.
While acknowledging the ACF’s interest in Kano’s development, Waiya urged the group and other stakeholders to align with the already established structure. He added that the government remained committed to inclusivity, peace, and progress through collaboration.
The council, as earlier outlined by Governor Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa, is to draw from the knowledge and expertise of Kano’s most accomplished figures, including retired Supreme Court justices, Senate presidents, House of Representatives speakers, business leaders, and former security chiefs.
Governor Yusuf is expected to formally inaugurate the body once its structure is fully institutionalized.
