Barau Jibrin and the Politics of Democratic Maturity in Kano
By: Hon Musa Ladan, mnipr
In politics, ambition is common. What is rare—especially in our clime—is the ability to restrain ambition in service of a higher democratic cause. Kano State recently witnessed such a rare moment, and it deserves to be properly understood, contextualised, and defended against deliberate misrepresentation.
When Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on 26th January, 2026, the political arithmetic of Kano changed instantly. What followed was a test—not of power, but of character. Senator Barau I. Jibrin, the Deputy President of the Senate and the highest-ranking elected official from Kano State, rose to that test with a clarity that left no room for ambiguity.
Standing before party leaders, stakeholders, and the public, Senator Barau made a declaration that struck at the very heart of democratic ethics. He announced that he had permanently stepped down his gubernatorial ambition and pledged his full political machinery and personal support to Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf’s re-election bid under the APC platform. He announced to the mammoth crowd of party faithful that “from today anyone who loves and supports me should support Abba Gida Gida’s re-election as the Governor of Kano State in 2027” and that “my political structure is from today re-branded as Tinubu-Abba-Barau organization”. What can be more than this as a demonstration of democratic maturity, which reflects a strategic political realignment in Kano State.
“As democrats, we must always put the party and the people above personal ambition,” Senator Barau stated.
“With the coming of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf into APC, Kano has gained political stability. I have therefore taken a final decision to support him fully for 2027 in the interest of unity, stability and progress of Kano State.”
This was not the language of a reluctant politician boxed into a corner. It was the voice of a statesman who understands that democracy thrives not on endless internal contestation, but on consensus, order, and respect for political reality.
Yet, in a familiar Nigerian twist, clarity has been met with insinuation. Some have sought to suggest—without evidence—that Senator Barau’s public declaration masks a covert agenda. Such claims do not merely insult his intelligence; they disregard his political record.
Senator Barau’s career, over time and particularly since 2023, has been defined by party stabilisation, not subversion. At moments when APC in Kano faced existential strain, he chose bridge-building over political chess game or brinkmanship. As he once put it, “Our party survived difficult moments because we chose dialogue over division and unity over ego.” That philosophy did not suddenly evaporate with Governor Yusuf’s defection.
It is also important to situate this moment within Senator Barau’s unique political standing. As Deputy President of the Senate, he is not just another aspirant nursing a local ambition. He is a national figure, a principal officer of the legislature, and the second-highest-ranking elected official in the North-West. With that stature comes responsibility—one he has repeatedly demonstrated he understands.
“I did not come this far in politics to be remembered as a divider,” Senator Barau has said.
“I want to be remembered as someone who strengthened democracy and worked for the progress of Kano State and Nigeria because I am in Politics to serve the people.”
That statement captures the essence of his decision. Supporting Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf was not an act of weakness; it was an act of personal conviction and institutional discipline. It reinforced APC’s unity in Kano and sent a powerful signal that the party is capable of managing competition without self-destruction.
Beyond politics, Senator Barau’s tenure as Deputy President of the Senate has yielded tangible dividends for Kano State and the North West region —from federal projects to legislative advocacy that has amplified the state’s voice at the centre. His influence has been deployed not for factional supremacy, but for enduring legacies. The records are evident in all facets of development in Kano State and beyond – from his facilitation of the establishment of tertiary educational institutions, support to the security agencies, youth empowerment initiatives, support to the tertiary health institutions, the foreign and local scholarship programmes, the Barau Agricultural Revolution Initiative for the North West, and the establishment of North West Development Commission, among others too numerous to be listed.
The comment of His Excellency, the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio during the conferment of honorary doctorate degree on Senator Barau Jibrin by the Bayero University Kano in early 2024 is very instructive here.
Upon listening to the loaded citation of Senator Barau Jibrin and his achievements, the Senate President noted that “I thank God I didn’t miss the opportunity to be in Kano for this occasion… if as a senator the DSP had done so much for Kano State one wonders what else the Governor will be doing”. This underscores Senator Akpabio’s admiration for the enormous contributions of Senator Barau to the development of Kano State. With Governor Abba now in APC alongside Senator Barau Kano will remain unbeatable in terms of dividends of democracy.
Senator Barau understands his role as a national leader so well and does not take it for granted. He understands the essence of a life of purpose beyond priviledge. “My responsibility at the national level must translate into real benefits for my people,” he has consistently maintained.
In an era where political actors often speak in coded language and operate through proxies, Senator Barau chose openness. “Politics must have honour,” he remarked recently. “When decisions are taken in the collective interest, leaders must have the courage to stand by them.” It was for that principle that he was advising his supporters who delighted in visiting him in Abuja to register their loyalty to wait for the official ceremony for the defection of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf in Kano so that everyone works for the success of the Party. That courage is what Kano witnessed on 26th Januray, 2026.
At a time when democracy in Nigeria is weakened more by internal sabotage than external opposition, Senator Barau Jibrin’s conduct offers a lesson worth amplifying: that true leadership is measured not by how fiercely one clings to ambition, but by how responsibly one lets go.
History is unlikely to remember rumours. It will remember choices. And in this defining moment, Senator Barau chose democracy, party unity, and the long-term stability of Kano State.
That choice is the mark of an uncommon statesman – Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jibrin, PhD, CFR.
– Hon. Musa Ladan, mnipr is a Senior Legislative Aide
To Senator Barau Jibrin