
Ahmad Bunkure, the newly appointed Special Adviser on Works to Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has passed away.
The Kano State Government confirmed the tragic news through a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi DawakinTofa, who described Bunkure’s death as a heartbreaking loss.
According to the statement, Bunkure died on Wednesday in Egypt, just a day after being sworn into office alongside other new appointees. Governor Yusuf, who had recently undertaken a series of appointments to strengthen governance, expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
“This is a heartbreaking moment for us as a government. Bunkure was a dedicated professional whose expertise and contributions were expected to drive our administration’s vision for development. His loss is deeply felt,” the statement read.
Condolences have poured in from across the political spectrum, including from Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the National Leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, and other members of the Kano State Government.
Meanwhile, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), under whose platform Governor Yusuf was elected, has been engulfed in internal disputes that have undermined its stability. Despite the Supreme Court’s affirmation of Yusuf as Kano State Governor in 2024, the party has struggled to consolidate its gains due to factional rivalries and leadership conflicts.
The crisis escalated when loyalists of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso introduced a new party logo featuring a red-white-red design with a book and graduation cap. This was rejected by the Boniface Aniebonam-led faction, which insisted on retaining the original basket-of-fruits logo, a symbol of abundance.
Agbo Major, the National Chairman recognized by the Aniebonam faction, reaffirmed their position, stating, “Our party is one with one logo, which is a basket of fruits on top of the Nigerian map. We have only one chairman, which is myself. The other side is Kwankwasiyya people. They are not a political party.”
The conflict took a new turn when the Aniebonam-led faction suspended Governor Yusuf for alleged anti-party activities. The suspension was later extended by another six months after Yusuf failed to respond to a summons.
The deepening divisions within the NNPP have drawn criticism from political observers, who had anticipated a more unified front to strengthen the party’s position as a leading opposition platform. Instead, the party’s inability to resolve its internal disputes has left its future uncertain, even as it grapples with the implications of Bunkure’s sudden death, a key figure expected to play a significant role in Kano State’s governance.