The Kano State government has cautioned against the establishment of parallel elder councils following recent announcements by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) regarding a proposed Kano State Elders Council.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Waiya, the state government revealed that Governor Abba Yusuf had already announced the establishment of the Kano Elders Advisory Council (KEAC) in January 2024.
“While we appreciate the noble intentions of the ACF and similar groups in seeking to provide unified platforms for addressing socio-political and economic challenges, we wish to inform the public that the Kano Elders Advisory Council is already in the process of institutionalization,” he stated.
According to him, the government-backed council comprises distinguished personalities including former governors, deputy governors, speakers of state and federal assemblies, retired Supreme Court and Court of Appeal justices, former chief judges, grand khadis, secretaries to state government, heads of civil service, respected Islamic scholars, business leaders and traditional rulers, and retired security chiefs.
The statement said the KEAC is designed as a neutral, non-partisan advisory body that operates on wisdom, experience, and knowledge for the benefit of Kano State residents, noting that the council represents the first initiative of its kind, deliberately conceived without political ambitions.
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The government emphasized its commitment to an open-door policy, inviting all organizations and interested groups to align with the existing framework rather than creating competing structures.
“We firmly believe that by working together, we can strengthen the council’s operations and ensure its objectives are fully realized in the interest of our people,” the statement read.
The formalization and institutionalization processes are expected to conclude soon, after which Gov. Yusuf will officially inaugurate the council.
The government further reiterated its readiness to work collaboratively with interested partners toward sustaining peace, progress, and prosperity in Kano State, emphasizing that unity of purpose would better serve the state’s development agenda than fragmented efforts.
