For Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the office of governor may still carry the prestige of power, but the reality inside many Government Houses is a different story.
The former Kano State governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has argued that governors today no longer wield the level of authority their counterparts enjoyed when Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.
Kwankwaso made the claim during an interview with ARISE Television correspondent Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie for her Untold Stories project on Tuesday.
His argument was blunt: “Governors are not in charge.”
According to the former governor, the political power available to state governors has diminished compared with what was obtainable in the early years of the Fourth Republic.
“Governors are not in charge. Today’s governors are not as powerful as governors were in 1999,” Kwankwaso said.
What changed since 1999?
Kwankwaso did not simply compare the governors of today with those of 1999; he also questioned how some governors exercise the power they currently possess.
He argued that some politicians arrive at Government House after winning elections with the belief that they have defeated everyone around them.
That, he suggested, can create an environment where advice is ignored and decision-making becomes increasingly concentrated around the governor and close associates.
He further alleged that some governors spend public funds in ways that involve their relatives and close circles, a practice he said can eventually create serious problems.
“They spend money the way they want to with their brothers and sisters and family, and so on. And then, at the end of the day, it becomes a huge problem,” he said.
Kwankwaso also said he does not envy governors serving under the current political administration.
His comments come at a time when the balance of power between Nigeria’s federal, state and local governments remains a major political issue, particularly around control of public resources and the autonomy of local governments.
Kwankwaso turns to Tinubu’s fuel subsidy policy
The former Kano governor also used the interview to revisit one of the most contentious economic decisions of President Bola Tinubu’s administration — the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Kwankwaso criticised Tinubu’s decision to remove the subsidy after taking office, arguing that the policy had contributed to the economic difficulties experienced by Nigerians.
He said the NDC would pursue a different approach if it eventually forms the Federal Government.
Rather than simply restoring the previous subsidy arrangement, Kwankwaso said there were alternative ways to provide support while also addressing the structural problems in the petroleum sector.
He identified the expansion of domestic refining capacity as one of the measures the party would pursue, alongside policies aimed at reducing petrol prices.
The NDC vice-presidential candidate said the party was prepared to take steps it believes could bring down the cost of fuel for Nigerians.
A broader political argument
Kwankwaso’s remarks effectively connected two separate issues: the changing power of state governors and the wider debate over how Nigeria is governed.
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His comments about governors raise questions about how much authority state executives exercise today compared with the early years of the Fourth Republic, while his position on fuel prices places the NDC’s economic message directly in the ongoing debate over the consequences of subsidy removal.
With the 2027 elections approaching, such arguments are likely to remain central to the political conversation as parties attempt to convince Nigerians that their approach to governance and economic management would produce different results.
For now, Kwankwaso’s message is clear: the title of governor may remain powerful, but he believes the office no longer carries the same weight it did in 1999.