By Ibrahim Mohammed, Kaduna.
The recent removal of Samuel Aruwan, the former Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, from Governor Uba Sani’s cabinet has sparked speculation about a growing rift between Sani and his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai. Aruwan’s dismissal, which was anticipated amid reports of tension between the current administration and El-Rufai’s loyalists, raises questions about the political dynamics in the state.
Aruwan, a former journalist who served as El-Rufai’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity from 2015 to 2019, was appointed as the first commissioner of the newly established Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs after the 2019 elections. His close relationship with El-Rufai significantly bolstered his influence within the previous administration.
Sources disclosed to DAILYTRUST that Aruwan had considerable autonomy during his tenure, particularly as he supported Uba Sani’s governorship bid despite El-Rufai’s initial reservations about Sani’s candidacy. However, following Sani’s assumption of office, Aruwan was not reappointed as Commissioner for Internal Security but continued to oversee the ministry for over a year, while also serving as Administrator of the Kaduna Capital Authority.
Despite facing allegations of misappropriating N423 billion during the previous administration, Aruwan remained in Sani’s cabinet until recent developments. His removal, alongside that of Shizzer Bada, the former Commissioner for Finance, and Tijjani Abdullahi, the executive chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, was reportedly linked to a memo from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) regarding false asset declarations.
The dismissals of these officials, viewed as loyalists of El-Rufai, have intensified speculation about political motivations behind the actions. The Kaduna State Government has not provided an official explanation for the dismissals, further fueling rumors of a rift between Sani and El-Rufai.
A former commissioner under El-Rufai, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, suggested that the dismissals were politically motivated. “What happened to Aruwan and others is politically motivated. The present government cannot exempt itself from that,” the source stated, highlighting that several former commissioners are currently under investigation by the EFCC, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau.
The source also noted that the abolition of three metropolitan authorities established by El-Rufai’s administration is indicative of the alleged rift, as the heads of these authorities were also El-Rufai appointees.
In contrast, a former state executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) argued that the dismissals, framed as efforts to facilitate investigations, were in reality a purge of El-Rufai loyalists from the government.
Efforts to reach Malam Ibraheem Musa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages. However, an anonymous source within the government dismissed claims of a rift as unfounded, stating, “The removal of Samuel Aruwan and Shizzer Bada has nothing to do with the so-called rift, which exists only in the imagination of political jobbers and the media.”
According to this source, the dismissals were based on a court order issued in October following an ex parte motion filed before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
In a related development OBSERVESTIMES recalled that , the state government has issued a warning to political appointees against irresponsible social media use, emphasizing that such behavior could damage the administration’s reputation. This advisory was released after a two-day capacity-building workshop aimed at promoting discipline, loyalty, and professionalism among public servants. The communiqué, signed by Alhaji Waziri Garba and Malam Ibraheem Musa, stressed the importance of responsible communication to prevent public misinterpretation of the government’s stance.
