Former LG chairman returns to tailoring after losing Seat

By Sunday Ameh

Former Chairman of Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, Abdullahi Gali Shitu, has returned to his tailoring business months after a court removed him from office, saying vocational skills offer greater security than politics.

Shitu, popularly known as Comrade Abdullahi Gali Basaf, now oversees his tailoring workshop in Sheka Ward, Kumbotso LGA, where he manages apprentices and produces garments.

Speaking on his decision, the former council boss said returning to tailoring was aimed at encouraging young Nigerians to embrace vocational skills instead of depending solely on political appointments for survival.

According to him, every politician should maintain a sustainable source of livelihood because public office is an opportunity to serve, not a permanent means of income.

“Tailoring is not a small trade. It has sustained me for years, including during my political career. It provided the financial support I needed for my campaigns and political activities,” he said.

Basaf disclosed that his tailoring business currently employs about 20 people and expressed plans to expand it into a garment manufacturing company capable of creating more jobs for youths.

Despite holding both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science, he said he chose to return to tailoring because it remains his passion and a practical way of contributing to economic development.
He noted that politics is unpredictable, while vocational skills provide long-term financial security.

“You can hold political office today and lose it tomorrow, but your trade remains with you. It feeds your family and enables you to support others,” he added.

The former chairman urged young people not to look down on skilled trades but to modernise them into profitable businesses.

Basaf’s political career saw him emerge as a prominent member of the Kwankwasiyya movement before serving as Kano State chairman of the Alliance National Party. He later joined the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), where he served as Senior Special Assistant on Information before winning the Kumbotso chairmanship election in 2024.

He said his administration established schools, facilitated healthcare projects and sponsored the education of more than 2,000 students during his tenure.

However, his time in office ended in March 2026 after the Kano State High Court nullified his Certificate of Return and declared Ali Musa, popularly known as Hardworker, as the rightful winner of the election.

Despite the setback, Basaf said he remains active in politics but will continue to prioritise his tailoring business, insisting that skilled professions remain a dependable source of livelihood regardless of political fortunes.