The Kano State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo over allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of public trust.
The impeachment notice was presented during plenary by the House Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Dala, who said the action aligns with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended). According to Dala, the allegations stem from Gwarzo’s tenure as Commissioner for Local Government (2023–2024) and his current role as deputy governor.
The deputy governor is accused of participating in the diversion of funds intended for the state’s 44 local government councils. Dala alleged that from June 2023 to January 2024, Gwarzo received ₦1.5 million monthly from each council, totaling ₦462 million over seven months. Additional payments of ₦3.255 million per council allegedly occurred from February to July 2024 for “special assignments,” bringing the total to roughly ₦726 million.
Gwarzo is also accused of abuse of office, allegedly facilitating payments of ₦10 million each from the 44 councils to NovoMed Pharmaceuticals Limited, totaling ₦440 million, in violation of state procurement and fiscal management laws.
Dala described these actions as a breach of public trust, abuse of power, and gross misconduct under the constitution. The impeachment notice was reportedly endorsed by 38 lawmakers, meeting the constitutional threshold to initiate proceedings.
Next steps include serving the allegations to the deputy governor and potentially requesting the state chief judge to constitute a panel to investigate the claims if the motion receives legislative backing. As of filing, Deputy Governor Gwarzo had not publicly responded to the allegations.
