Oversight Or Overreach: How Federal Agencies Undermine Kano State Government
By Aminu Hussaini Sagagi
In recent years, Nigerians have witnessed a troubling trend in the nation’s democratic practice – in the increasing use of federal oversight agencies as political tools. Nowhere is this dynamic more glaring than in Kano State where the federal government’s top officials appear to have systematically deployed regulatory and security institutions to weaken the state government and tilt the balance of power for partisan advantage. Whereas, in theory, government oversight is the lifeblood of accountability. In practice – at least in Kano State – it has fully become a political weapon. Across a series of investigations, lawsuits and injunctions, federal institutions have been accused of using their powers not to promote good governance, but to undermine it.
Investigations, eyewitness accounts and review of events reveal disturbing patterns with agencies such as the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and federal security bodies constitutionally mandated to uphold accountability and the rule of law. In principle, their role is to serve the Nigerian people by ensuring that no public officer abuses office or mismanages resources.
However, in Kano State, these agencies often seem to operate with selective vigour.
Investigations, arrests and public pronouncements tend to target state government officials or its allies, while federal appointees and political actors’ aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) largely appear untouched. This pattern not only undermines public trust but also suggests a strategic effort to destabilize the current Kano’s political leadership.
Why Kano? The Political Stakes and Political Calculations behind Oversight Overreach
Kano is a political prize in Nigeria. With its vast population, it plays a decisive role in national elections. Weakening the state government or creating the perception of dysfunction serves a clear political purpose and electoral logic: it reduces the ability of local leaders to mobilize support, while strengthening the hand of federal-aligned opposition figures.
By leveraging oversight bodies, federal authorities gain the dual advantage of projecting themselves as anti-corruption champions while quietly eroding the political base of their rivals. This is not accountability; it is a calculated suppression.
The Democratic Cost of Targeting State Government Officials in Seemingly Selective and Politically Motivated Anti-Corruption Crackdowns
The instrumentalization of federal oversight agencies for political gain carries dire consequences. First, it delegitimizes the agencies themselves, turning them from impartial guardians of accountability into partisan weapons. Second, it erodes federalism, denying states the space to govern effectively without constant interference. Third, it risks alienating citizens, who see law enforcement not as a shield for justice but as a sword of politics.
Ultimately, this cycle deepens mistrust between federal and state institutions, widens political divisions and undermines the spirit of Nigeria’s democracy.
A Path Forward
For Nigeria to strengthen its democracy, oversight bodies must be insulated from political manipulations. Appointments should be transparent, tenure secure and operations subject to bipartisan legislative scrutiny. Equally, civil society and the media must continue to expose selective enforcement and call for reforms that restore the credibility of these institutions.
Kano State’s experience is a cautionary tale and also an opportunity. By confronting the misuse of federal power, Kanawas and Nigerians can insist on a democracy where oversight agencies serve citizens, not partisan interests.
Aminu Hussaini Sagagi, is the Special Adviser to the Governor of Kano State on Justice/Constitutional Matters contributed this personal opinion from Kano