Some serving and former members of the Kano State House of Assembly have endorsed the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, as their preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Kano State.
The group, comprising more than 200 lawmakers who have served in the Assembly since 1999, was led by a former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abdulaziz G. Gafasa (2007–2011).
In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy President of the Senate, Ismail Mudashir, it was disclosed that the lawmakers paid a courtesy visit to Senator Barau recently.
During the visit, they described him as the most credible and marketable option for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the next gubernatorial contest.
Although Senator Barau, a ranking lawmaker and First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, has yet to declare his intention to run formally, several key APC stakeholders in Kano have been openly backing him, citing his decade-long record of impactful leadership in the National Assembly.
Speaking during the visit, the former Speaker outlined the group’s reasons for endorsing him.
“We are here to tell you that we are solidly behind you for three main reasons,” he said. “First, you have positively impacted the lives of our people across all three senatorial districts of Kano State. Second, you have been a lifeline to our party, the APC. Third, you have touched our lives personally, even for those of us outside your senatorial district. This has made you the most marketable candidate in the APC.”
Also speaking, Hon. Garba Yau Gwarmai, a serving lawmaker representing Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency, said they were ready to mobilise support for Senator Barau across the grassroots ahead of 2027.
“This endorsement is based on your track record of outstanding service over the years,” he said. “You have consistently made a positive impact on the lives of our people and across all sectors of our state. This is why we want you to govern Kano, our beloved state.”
In his response, Senator Barau thanked the lawmakers for their confidence in him, stressing the need for collective effort to restore Kano State to its “glorious days.”
Describing the lawmakers as true grassroots leaders, he urged them to continue promoting the ideals of the APC while supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“We have to work hard and make sacrifices to restore the greatness of our state,” he said. “It is a joy to see you unite to salvage our state from ongoing misgovernance. Let us continue to work together to rescue our beloved state.”
