At least five political appointees serving under Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda have resigned within days, attracting political attention amid growing activities and reported realignments within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections. (Daily Trust)
The latest resignation came from Muhammad Shitu Maslaha, Deputy Commander of the Katsina State Hisbah Board in charge of Operations. He submitted his resignation in a letter dated October 6, 2026.
His departure came a day after the resignation of the Commander-General of the Katsina State Hisbah Board, Dr Aminu Usman, popularly known as Abu Ammar. Usman resigned with immediate effect in a letter dated October 5 but did not disclose a reason for his decision. (Business Times)
Also among those who have recently left office is Alhaji Kabir Bature Sarkin Alhazai, Chairman of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board. Bature, who was appointed by Governor Radda in 2023, resigned without publicly stating his reason. (Business Times)
Fadila Sani Dalhatu, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Katsina State Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation, also submitted her resignation on October 5.
Another former appointee is Alhaji Abubakar Soja Tsanni, who served as Special Adviser to the governor on Youth Development. Reports indicate that the five officials have resigned within a short period, although their individual reasons for leaving remain unclear. (Legit.ng – Nigeria news.)
The resignations have generated political speculation because they coincide with increased political mobilisation and reported realignment among APC members in Katsina State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Some political sources have alleged that some of the former appointees are moving closer to the political camp of Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Political Affairs. However, the claim has not been independently confirmed, and neither the affected officials nor the Katsina State Government has publicly linked the resignations to any disagreement within the APC.
There have also been claims that Governor Radda had encouraged political appointees who were dissatisfied with their positions or felt they could no longer contribute effectively to the administration to resign. However, this claim has not been independently verified.
Political analyst Ahmed Baba Kado of the Good Governance Initiative said the developments could indicate underlying disagreements within the Katsina APC. He pointed to the reported movement of some former appointees towards the Masari camp as a possible indication of emerging political differences.
However, Dr Bala Abdullahi, a lecturer at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina, offered a more cautious interpretation. He described resignations by political appointees as a normal occurrence in politics, noting that officials could leave government for several reasons, including dissatisfaction, political ambitions or other opportunities.
Abdullahi also said the alleged disagreement within the APC remained speculative because the key actors had not publicly acknowledged any rift.
“The significance of the resignations may depend on what the former appointees do after leaving office,” he said, particularly whether they remain aligned with the governor or move towards other political groups.
The latest departures follow two other resignations earlier in 2026 by political appointees pursuing elective positions.
Hamza Suleiman Faskari, then Commissioner for Environment, resigned on March 30 to pursue an elective position in the 2027 elections. Similarly, Shehu Abdu Daura, a former Special Assistant to Governor Radda on Drugs, Narcotics and Human Trafficking, resigned in March to participate in the APC primary for the Katsina North (Daura) Senatorial District. (TG News)
The recent developments also come shortly after the return of former Katsina State Secretary to the Government, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, and other politicians to the APC at an event attended by Vice-President Kashim Shettima. Shettima recently received opposition politicians who defected to the APC in Katsina. (Channels Television)
Meanwhile, Governor Radda has moved to fill some of the vacant positions. He approved the appointment of seven officials, including Sheikh Nasiru Abdulrahman Funtua as Chairman of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board and Muhammad Saifuddeen Yakubu Musa as Commander-General of the Katsina State Hisbah Board. (Trust Radio)
While the resignations have intensified speculation about political realignment in Katsina, there is currently no official confirmation that they are connected to a feud between Governor Radda and Ibrahim Masari.
With political activities gathering momentum ahead of 2027, attention is now focused on whether the recent departures will end with the five officials or lead to further changes within the Radda administration.
