There is growing concern over administrative paralysis in Kano State following a directive by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ordering all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to suspend the submission of official files to his office until further notice.
The directive, which has effectively stalled governance activities at the Kano Government House, comes amid intense political engagements by the governor in Kano and Abuja ahead of his anticipated defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The instruction was conveyed to commissioners by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Farouk Ibrahim, at the close of the State Executive Council meeting held on December 18, 2025, which was presided over by the governor.
Investigations by Daily Nigerian revealed that numerous files awaiting the governor’s attention since September were returned to various MDAs, while the Government House registry reportedly stopped receiving new files for weeks.
A senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as unprecedented in the state’s administrative history.
“I have worked in Government House under several governors, but I have never witnessed a situation where an embargo was placed on receiving files. This is the third time the governor has ordered MDAs to stop sending files. It is nothing short of a government shutdown,” the source said.
The official warned that the affected files could include urgent matters such as procurement of medical supplies, emergency responses, and disaster-related interventions.
“Some of these files may relate to requests for drugs, medical emergencies, or imminent crises. Stalling them could have serious consequences,” the source added.
Reacting to the development, a senior Kano-based lawyer, Sagir Gezawa, described the directive as an abdication of constitutional responsibility.
“Files are the lifeblood of governance. They are the primary instruments through which decisions affecting lives and property are processed. Any file reaching the governor’s desk has a direct or indirect impact on the people,” Gezawa said.
He noted that delays in file processing could severely affect land administration, business operations and investor confidence.
“For instance, files relating to land titles directly affect businesses. Financial institutions and foreign investors assess ease of doing business based on how quickly certificates of occupancy, mortgages and assignments are processed,” he explained.
Gezawa, who said he previously worked as a respondent for the World Bank, added that bureaucratic efficiency is a key metric used in assessing governance performance.
“Policy recommendations, committee reports and development plans are all transmitted through files. Blocking them undermines governance and development. This is what the governor was elected and paid to do,” he said.
Efforts to reach the Secretary to the State Government, Farouk Ibrahim, for comments were unsuccessful, as his phone line was switched off at the time of filing this report.