Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has released the sum of N5.6 billion as severance and furniture allowances owed to councillors who served under former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The payment, made five years after the entitlements became due, represents the second tranche of liabilities inherited from the APC-led administration.

In May 2025, Governor Yusuf had paid N1.8 billion to 903 councillors who served between 2014 and 2017. The current disbursement benefits 1,198 former councillors across the 44 local government areas.

Governor Yusuf disclosed that his administration inherited a total liability of N15.6 billion in councillors’ allowances from the previous government.

Speaking at the disbursement ceremony, the Governor described the gesture as a “defining moment” in the history of the state.

“These are moments when we rise above the ordinary to restore dignity, fairness, and justice to those who have served with loyalty and dedication. Today, by the grace of Allah, is one of such defining moments,” Yusuf said.

He added that many beneficiaries had already started receiving payment alerts, noting that he had instructed bankers to credit their accounts even before the conclusion of his remarks.

The Governor further announced that preparations were underway for the third and final tranche of N8.2 billion, which will cover 1,371 former councillors. The disbursement is expected by the second week of November.

Yusuf emphasized that the initiative was not merely a financial obligation but a step toward strengthening trust between the government and the people.

“Government is not only about building roads, schools, or hospitals. It is also about building trust and honoring those who have served,” he said.

He commended the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Office of the Accountant General, the state’s bankers, and the leadership of the Ex-Councillors Forum for their roles in the process.

In reaction to the gesture, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ismail Jibrin Falgore, publicly endorsed Governor Yusuf for a second term in office.

Falgore, who conveyed the legislators’ satisfaction with the Governor’s policies and programmes, assured the support of the APC councillors for Yusuf’s re-election bid.