Shekarau: I had less than N100,000 when I ran for governor

By Abubakar Yunusa

Former Kano state governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has revealed that he had less than N100,000 in his account when he ran for the governorship.

Shekarau, who also served as a former minister of education, emphasised that he never interfered with local government allocations or accepted kickbacks from his commissioners during his tenure.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) 70th anniversary, scheduled to begin on October 12, 2024, Shekarau, who was the chairman of the organizing committee, credited the organization with shaping his life both spiritually and otherwise.

He said: “When I contested the election, I had less than N100,000 in my account, and my entry into politics was not by choice but by persuasion”

Ibrahim Shekarau’s statement is seen as a strong rebuttal to any allegations of corruption or financial impropriety, reinforcing his image as a leader committed to transparency and integrity during his time as Governor of Kano State.

He said: “I have never taken any negotiating percentages with any contractor. I always challenge them—if any contractor who has worked with me in the last 44 years knows that I have asked him for a percentage or brought any money, let him come out and say so.

“Secondly, none of my commissioners has ever brought one naira to me in the name of feedback from a contractor.

“No local government chairman, during my eight years as Governor has ever given me one naira. I have never tampered with their allocations”.

He said all they did then, through the National Assembly, was to create guidelines, rules, and regulations governing their operations, and they allowed them to do their jobs with their councillors.

The former governor said: “You would find a chairman executing projects of N100 or N200 million, guided by the state government.

“For example, if a local government wanted to construct a N100 million road project and they didn’t have all the engineering resources to do it, we would bring them to the state, ask our engineers to handle the details, work everything out, and then give it back to them, telling them to go to their council and award the contract wherever is fitting.

“Up until the end of my second term in 2007, I had no house of my own. I remember an elder statesman, who was my former teacher, coming to me two months before the election, saying, “Governor, I want to delve into your personal affairs.

“I said, “You are free to do so.” He asked, “Suppose you lose in [election], which house will you go to?” I said I would go back to a rented house. I left a rented house to move into the government house.

“Speaking on the objectives of MSSN, some of the aims are to bring all Muslims in closer union and inculcate in them the true Islamic spirit of brotherhood and absolute faith in Allah as the only basis for the achievement of peace among mankind”.

While praising the members’ moral standards, he used himself and the current JAMB registrar, Prof Ishaq Olarenwaju Oloyede, as examples of MSSN products who hold public office.