Aminu Abdussalam: The capable and suitable deputy governor

By Ibrahim Ahmad Lawal

Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, the newly appointed deputy governor of Kano State, doesn’t require much of an introduction in terms of Kano politics.

He is one of the well-known adherents and staunch, and among the front line leaders of the Kwankwasiyya political movement in Kano State, led by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

However, Comrade Abdussalam’s political dedication deserved to be fully acknowledged at this momentous occasion of becoming the deputy governor of Kano State under the democratically elected administration of

Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf in order to provide more clarity and evidence, consciously, for the benefit of upcoming generations.

But first, who is His Excellency Aminu Abdussalam, the deputy governor of Kano State?

In reality, Aminu Abdussalam is a well-known, astute, and classic politician who values hard effort over receiving a gold platter or harvesting low-hanging fruit while sitting cross-legged for success.

He preferred to ascend the ladder of opposition step by step, leaving the rest to the operation of divine will.

A politician with a reputation for tenacity in the face of relentlessly pursuing his goals, he is fully convinced that thorny thickets, potholes, and obstacles must be overcome in order for a mortal to reach their destination.

And only such tenacity can determine if a man is a loser or a potential achiever based on well-intentioned aim.
And at this point, Hon. Aminu Abdussalam’s persistence over a long period of time has paid off. He is now Kano State’s vice governor.

Tellingly, patience is one of the qualities one needs to have to endure trekking in the dark tunnel of hope for a long time if one wants to achieve via hard effort and endurance.

The long-held patience of people like Hon. Aminu Abdussalam, the deputy governor of Kano state, has now paid off as truth began to emerge at the end of the dark tunnel.

As the second-ranking administrator in all of Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam was selected as the deputy governor to Engineer, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusif, because of his qualifications based on his honed experience in politics and interpersonal relationships.

Before going into the historical and educational background of Aminu Abdussalam, the 16th deputy governor of Kano, it would be more appropriate to embellish the piece with the Hausa proverb that states, “Idan kaji wane ba banza ba, in bai sha dare ba, ya sha rana.”

The figurative translation of this phrase is, “If you heard about the hero, either he defied the darkness of the night or he endured the scorching heat of the sun.”

This aphorism unquestionably describes how Hon. Abdulsalam has overcome the odds when the wheel of destiny rolled him into the political sphere endowed with a gift from destiny.

His Excellency, the deputy governor, was born in Gwarzo town on November 6, 1960, or nearly 63 years ago. At Gwarzo Day Primary School, Kano Teaching College (KTC), Kano State Polytechnic, and Bayero University in Kano, he began his primary education.

In 2007, he also attended the Royal Institute of Public Administration in London, and in 2010, he went back to the city to enroll in Global Training Consulting (GTC) London.

The deputy governor, Hon. Aminu Abdussalam, is a tough technocrat of comparable caliber based on his knowledge and intelligence, which emerged in his working experiences.

When Governor Abba Kabir Yusif, running under the New Nigerian Peoples Party flag, was named the winner on March 20, 2023, it was truly double joyous.

The governor was elected with a workmanlike deputy who, due to his vast working experience, will complement the duties of his principal with acumen and a tireless disposition for the overall development of Kano State.

The first joy is that a competent man who understands the sense of administrative direction was elected.

The deputy governor Abdussalam was known as a workaholic who was also embedded in institutional memory by those who knew him personally or professionally.

The person who speaks with caution and decency to both his superiors and his subordinates while listening with understanding,
Even though he was soft-spoken, had a great sense of humor, and always had a smile on his face, he nevertheless desires competence and forthrightness when it comes to formal engagements.

At the risk of coming across as flattering, His Excellency the Executive of Kano State, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusif, is fortunate to have a capable hand that would complement and bode well for his vision to improve the quality of life in Kano and restore the city’s former prominence as a business hub in Nigeria.

Hon. Aminu Abdussalam, the deputy governor, is a man who enjoys reading and traveling and who has been blessed with a modest family of 22 children.

Lawal is a social media activist based in Kano