Taking inspiration from the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) actions in Abia State, the Patriotic Volunteers, a faction within the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, has announced plans to establish what it terms a “shadow government” to scrutinise the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
JOURNALIST101 recalls that in December 2024, the PDP declared the creation of a shadow cabinet, which, according to Elder Abraham Amah, Chairman of the Abia State chapter of the PDP, would monitor the actions, inactions, and policies of the Abia government, as well as present alternative viewpoints. These appointees are intended to reflect the roles of each state government ministry, grounded in their expertise and commitment to serving the people of Abia State with credible alternative perspectives.
In a similar effort, Usman Alhaji, the national president of Patriotic Volunteers, announced at a press conference in Kano on Saturday that they are preparing to form a shadow government in response to the “failures” of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) administration in properly guiding Kano.
Mr Alhaji indicated that the group aims to assign members to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to oversee their operations and offer “constructive” criticism that would encourage the government to take appropriate actions.
“This is akin to what is practised in the UK, where opposition parties establish a shadow government to hold the current administration accountable.
“We intend to do the same in Kano by appointing our members to MDAs to monitor their activities and provide reports.
“We are in the planning stages and will soon hold a press conference to inform the public about this initiative,” Mr Alhaji stated.
He noted that the APC Patriotic Volunteers currently boasts 60,000 members across all 44 Local Government Areas in the state and has initiated an online registration campaign aimed at expanding their membership to 1 million by 2027.
Mr Alhaji explained that to achieve this goal, the group is targeting an additional 200,000 members through online registration.
“Each of these 200,000 members is expected to recruit five others, which would result in a total of 1 million by 2027 to support the APC and its candidates in the upcoming general election,” he added.
He mentioned that the APC Patriotic Volunteers, which was established ten years ago by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and other relevant authorities, places great emphasis on loyalty to the party and its leadership.
According to him, the group was formed to promote internal democracy within the APC and to advocate for good governance.
“We have also resolved to effectively utilise media platforms to campaign through our recently formed media committee, led by Mallam Saleh Abubakar Kwaru.
“The committee is tasked with a media campaign to educate and mobilise the public on the importance of prioritising merit, experience, and competence in selecting candidates for elective positions or appointments.
“We are committed to issue-based campaigns that will guide electoral choices, ensuring tangible democratic dividends.
“In this vein, the APC Patriotic Volunteers has endorsed Hon. Dan’azumi Gwarzo for the position of APC Kano State Chairman in the upcoming party congresses and will fully support and encourage other members aspiring to contest for any party positions at all levels.
“This is part of our resolution aimed at mobilising support and collaborating with other organisations or groups with similar objectives. Good citizenship, good governance, the rule of law, and patriotism remain our advocacy, aligning with international standards and conventions. The principles of volunteerism, including the promotion of freedom of speech, association, and movement, as well as meritocracy for sustainable development and loyalty to the party, should be the norm,” Mr Alhaji concluded.
It remains to be seen whether the APC will face the same resistance that the PDP encountered in Abia, where the Labour Party-led government accused party members of treason.
