By Maryam Usman Nagado
The Kano State Government has formally addressed a potential duplication of efforts by clarifying that it has already established its own official elders’ advisory council, pre-empting a recent move by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
This clarification was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday by the State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya.
The statement revealed that the government’s attention was drawn to a pronouncement by the ACF on the establishment of a “Kano State Elders Council.” While acknowledging the Forum’s “noble intentions,” the government stated that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had already announced the creation of the Kano Elders Advisory Council (KEAC) in January 2024.
According to the government, work has been ongoing since then to finalize the structure of the council, which is intended to serve as the primary advisory body to the state government.
The release detailed that the KEAC will be a high-powered body comprising a wide array of Kano’s most distinguished leaders. Its membership is set to include former governors, deputy governors, speakers of the state and national assemblies, retired senior judges, former heads of the civil service, respected Islamic scholars (Ulamas), business leaders, traditional rulers, and retired security chiefs.
Emphasizing its nature, the government described the council as a “neutral, non-partisan, and apolitical platform” designed to leverage the collective wisdom and experience of its members for the overall development of Kano State.
In a significant move, the state government extended an invitation to the ACF and other interested groups. Rather than creating a parallel structure, the government urged them to “align with the already established framework” of the KEAC.
“The State Government, leveraging its open-government policy, warmly invites all organizations, individuals, and interested groups to align with the already established framework,” the statement read. It expressed a belief that collaboration would strengthen the council for the “common good of our people.”
The government announced that the processes for formalizing the council are nearing completion and that Governor Yusuf will officially inaugurate it soon. The statement concluded by reiterating the administration’s commitment to an open-door policy to ensure peace and prosperity in the state.