Media Talk Africa: Latest Headlines in Politics, Business, Sports, and More

In a twist of fate, Barau Jibrin, who aspired to be the governor of Kano state, has emerged as the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria. Political analysts in Kano believe that the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) decision to replace Jibrin as their gubernatorial candidate may have contributed to their defeat in the recent governorship election.

Jibrin, representing the Kano North Senatorial District, was elected as the Deputy President of the 10th Assembly of the Senate. The joint ticket between Jibrin and Godswill Akpabio came to fruition on Tuesday when they were elected as the President and Deputy President of the Senate, respectively. Jibrin ran unopposed, while Akpabio garnered 63 votes, defeating Abdulaziz Yari, the former governor of Zamfara State, who received 46 votes.

The election results were announced by Sani Tambuwal, the Clerk of the National Assembly, who revealed that 107 out of the total 109 senators cast their votes.

Jibrin was initially a top contender for the Senate President position, but the APC designated Akpabio as their preferred candidate. Despite his initial inclination to challenge Akpabio, Jibrin decided to respect the party’s decision to foster inclusiveness.

The APC had initially regarded Jibrin as their favored candidate for the governorship election until he was replaced by Nasiru Gawuna, the immediate past deputy governor of the state, after intense lobbying. Some political analysts argue that the party’s failure to field Jibrin as their governorship candidate contributed to their defeat in Kano.

To compensate Jibrin for relinquishing the governorship ticket, the APC promised him the opportunity to replace Abdullahi Ganduje, the former governor of the state, as their senatorial candidate for Kano North district.

Jibrin’s popularity within the zone was evident when he secured 234,652 votes, defeating Abdullahi Baffa of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), who received 177,014 votes.

Having been elected into the upper legislative chamber in 2015, and subsequently re-elected in 2019 and 2023, Jibrin has a track record of political experience. He previously served as a member of the House of Representatives, representing Tarauni Federal Constituency at the onset of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

Born in the historic city of Kano, Jibrin holds an array of academic qualifications, including a bachelor’s degree in accounting, master’s degrees in Financial Management and Pricing, Management, and Business Administration (MBA). He also possesses a degree in Financial Management for Business Decisions from Cornell University in the United States.

Prior to his political career, Jibrin served as the Chairman of the Kano State Investment and Properties Ltd, and as the Commissioner of Science and Technology in the state. Known for his popularity across districts in Kano, Jibrin represented Kano Central in the House of Representatives before being elected as a senator for Kano North on three occasions.

Throughout his tenure in the House of Representatives and the Senate, Jibrin sponsored numerous bills and motions. He championed a bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Education Technology in Bichi, Kano State, and sponsored bills for the creation of the Federal Polytechnic Kabo, where his father was born.

In 2020, Jibrin introduced a bill to establish the North West Development Commission, aiming to address the infrastructural gaps in the region. In recognition of his efforts, he was named the Northern Senator of the Year by the Nigerian Senate Press Corps in 2017.

During his time in the House of Representatives, Jibrin chaired the House Committee on Appropriations and served as a member of the House Committee on Power. He also acted as the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation for the 9th Senate.

Furthermore, Jibrin played pivotal roles in several development projects while serving on committees such as Niger Delta, Industries, Land Transportation, and Appropriations. He has also been honored with the national title of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).