The Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) in Katsina State held a matriculation ceremony on Monday for 1,000 beneficiaries of the undergraduate scholarship programme initiated by Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin.
The colourful ceremony took place on the university campus in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, with distinguished guests, including the Managing Director of the North West Development Commission (NWDC), Professor Abdullahi Shehu Maaji; the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Senate President, Professor Muhammad Ibn Abdallah, and Hajiya Yardada Maikano Bichi, his Special Adviser on Women Affairs, among others, in attendance.
This initiative, according to a statement by Barau’s special adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir in Abuja, underscored Senator Barau’s steadfast commitment to promoting education among the youth in Kano State and beyond.
Through the Barau Ibrahim Jibrin Foundation (BIJF), thousands of students have received scholarships to pursue their studies both in Nigeria and abroad, with 70 currently engaged in postgraduate studies overseas.
The Deputy President of the Senate, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, expressed gratitude to the management of FUDMA, under the leadership of Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Aminu Ado, for their collaborative efforts in the success of the scholarship program.
In recognition of Senator Barau’s contributions to education and youth development, the National Association of Kano State Students (NAKSS), Federal University Dutsin-Ma Chapter, presented him with an award of excellence.
Ulamas and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across Kano’s 44 local government areas on Thursday gathered for prayers and animal sacrifice, seeking divine guidance and electoral success for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
The event, held at Gidan Baban Liya in Kurna, Kano Municipal, also featured prayers for Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin’s 2027 governorship ambition.
Organised by the Tinubu/Barau/Atah Movement, chaired by Mohammed Sabiu Nuhu, the gathering endorsed Abdullahi Yusuf Atah, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, as Barau’s proposed running mate for the APC ticket in 2027.
The highlight of the occasion was the slaughter of a ram and a special Islamic prayer session led by Musa Babaliya, involving clerics, imams, women, and Qur’an reciting children.
Convener Hon. Seyi Olorunsola said the prayers were aimed at securing President Tinubu’s second term and ensuring Senator Barau Jibrin’s victory in Kano’s governorship race.
“President Tinubu has done incredibly well in just two years in office; look at the road projects, decline in food prices, employment opportunities, and above all, his efforts in tackling security challenges.
“In the last few years, Nigerians who were crying about insecurity and high prices of essential commodities are now beginning to laugh, as they see real changes.
“We have everything it takes to deliver the president in Kano for the second term. Tinubu is a man of his word, who has kept faith and promises with the people, and we are grateful indeed,” Olorunsola said.
On why Senator Barau Jibrin should fly the APC banner in the state, Olorunsola explained that he is the strongest person who can take over power from NNPP at the polls.
According to him, the State Minister of Housing (Atah) as Barau’s running mate will be a sure ticket.
“Don’t forget that in the 2023 election, we had problems in Kano Central because the current governor, Abba Yusuf, comes from that zone. Thank God, President Tinubu in his wisdom, appointed Yusuf Abdullahi Atah, who is also from Kano Central, as minister of state. Now, Atah, a former Speaker of the state, is the best person to checkmate the governor in Kano Central.
“Also, while Kano North has Barau Jibrin with Kano Southern district having Senator Kawu Sumaila, by our calculation, the APC campaign team for the 2027 election in Kano will be so formidable that it will cruise to victory with ease,” Olorunsola said.
Also speaking, Saminu Khalid Abdullahi, who is the Sarkin Yaki Matasa, said, “The Tinubu/Barau/Atah (TBA) Movement is a new support group established to mobilise grassroots support for President Bola Tinubu, Barau, and Atah, while rallying citizens behind their laudable efforts in governance and nation-building, as we approach the 2027 general elections.”
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has mourned Alhaji Aminu Dantata, an elder statesman, industrialist, business mogul and philanthropist extraordinaire, who died on Saturday at 94.
Barau, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, said the deceased contributed immensely to the overall development of Kano State, the northern part, and indeed the entire country.
“I mourn the passing of our father, an elder statesman, industrialist, business mogul and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who died on Saturday. He spent his life worshipping Allah SWT and in the service of humanity.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, the Kano business community, and the entire people of our state, Kano. Indeed, we have lost a father whose role in the development of our state and, indeed, the country cannot be overemphasised.
“For decades, he was a leading figure in various business spheres: trading, construction, property, banking, manufacturing, oil and gas, etc.
“His highly cherished business acumen, exemplary philanthropy and interventions will continue to inspire us. He was a symbol of integrity.
“May Allah SWT grant Alhaji Aminu Dantata Aljannatul Firdausi. May Allah SWT give his immediate family and all of us the strength to bear this loss,” he said.
Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, has downplayed growing calls for him to become President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the 2027 elections, insisting that his focus remains on supporting the administration’s goals.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Barau said he was committed to whatever role President Tinubu assigned him.
“Honestly, I don’t want to say much about this now,” Barau said when asked about the speculation.
“Mr President has been working tirelessly to redirect the country toward prosperity. At this point, the focus should be on governance, not politics.”
Barau described the calls from political groups promoting him as premature and misplaced.
“I told those groups I don’t even know them.
“I appreciate their confidence in me, but I urged them to focus their efforts on supporting the President.
“When the time for politics comes, we’ll deal with it. But now is the time for serious governance,” he said.
He described President Tinubu as a political father figure and credited him with key moments in his political journey.
“He made it possible for me to return to the Senate in 2023 and backed me to become Deputy Senate President.
“If he ever asks me to serve in any capacity, I’ll say, ‘Thank you, sir,’ and I’ll do it. I am 100 per cent loyal to him,” Barau said.
Barau emphasised the need for continued unity within the Progressive political fold, calling Tinubu a kind-hearted and visionary leader deserving of national support.
“Our fates are tied together. When the President succeeds, we all succeed,” he said.
On constitutional reform, Barau revealed that the Senate would consider 59 bills and 31 proposals during the upcoming zonal public hearings.
He encouraged Nigerians to submit memoranda and participate actively.
According to him, the hearings will take place across the six geo-political zones: South-South: Ikot Ekpene, chaired by Senate President Godswill Akpabio or his representative
He said the North-West would be chaired by Barau himself
“South-West: Lagos, under Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele. North-Central: Jos, chaired by Deputy Senate Leader Lola Ashiru. North-East: Maiduguri, led by Chief Whip Sen. Mohammed Monguno. South-East: Enugu, chaired by Deputy Chief Whip Sen. Peter Nwebonyi.”
Barau said that the hearings were an important opportunity for citizens to help shape the country’s future through legislative reform.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has distanced himself from calls by the Northern Nigeria Progressive Youth Assembly (NNPYA) urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pick him as running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Senator Barau described the campaign as ill-timed and counterproductive, urging all groups involved to discontinue such moves immediately.
“My attention has been drawn to various posts on social media and in some national dailies by groups, including the Northern Nigeria Progressive Youth Assembly, asking President Tinubu to select me as his running mate in 2027. This is out of place at the moment and not in our collective best interest,” he said.
Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, called on his supporters to redirect their energy towards supporting the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“If you are truly my supporters, please desist from this unnecessary clamour and join efforts to restore Nigeria’s glory under President Tinubu’s leadership,” he added.
Reaffirming his loyalty and commitment to the current administration, Barau emphasised that now is the time for unity and focus, not political distractions. “Our priority should be to support the President in tackling the numerous challenges confronting our country,” he said.
“He is genuinely committed to turning around our country’s fortunes positively. Therefore, I appeal to all to support him in continuing with his programs and policies that have started to bear positive fruits. Be part of the team to restore the glorious days of our country,” he said.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has welcomed thousands of members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)/Kwankwasiyya Movement into the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This is just as all roads leading to Kabo in Kano North Senatorial District were filled to the brim on Tuesday as the people of Kano State and neighbouring states trooped out en masse to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for converting Federal Polytechnic Kabo to the Federal University of Science and Technology, Kabo.
From across the 44 LGAs of Kano state, the NNPP members, including traders, clerics, youths, butchers, and social media influencers, among others, thrashed their red caps, the symbol of the Kwankwsiyya Movement, at the Amani Event Centre in Kano metropolis on Tuesday.
Under the ” Kungiyar Ceto Al’ummah Kano”, the movement to rescue the people of Kano, the decampees vowed to deliver the state to the APC in the 2027 general elections.
The defectora said they were tired of the NNPP’s deception and anxiously await to vote them out in 2027.
They said they were attracted to the APC by the president’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the country.
During a brief reception in Kano, Senator Barau expressed gratitude to the new members, stating that their decision to join the APC was timely and beneficial.
“Whenever God intends to improve your life, He directs you to the right path. He has brought you into the APC to improve your life,” he said.
He said the NNPP is fostering confusion and poverty. “While the APC is building the Kano and the country, the party (NNPP) you left is demolishing,” he said.
Describing the Kwankwsiyya movement as “Kwan-kwa-tsiya,” meaning “generating poverty,” Barau urged the new members to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and contribute to consolidating APC’s gains in Kano and the country at large.
In Kabo LGA, the people of Kano State and neighbouring states trooped out to thank the president for converting the Federal Polytechnic Kabo to the Federal University of Science and Technology.
Farmers, traders, women, students, and religious and traditional rulers converged on the new university stadium to praise President Tinubu and Senator Barau
President Tinubu assented on May 27 to Senator Barau’s bill to convert the Polytechnic to a Federal University of Science and Technology.
Established in 2022, the institution now becomes the third federal university in the state, joining Bayero University Kano and the recently upgraded Federal University of Education, named after the late Yusuf Maitama Sule. The President has also approved the establishment of a federal Polytechnic in Rano for us in Kano State.
Jibrin, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, said: “The President has approved every request for the development of Kano, the North West, and the North at large.
” What greater love can a leader show his people than investing in their future through education? Mr. President has demonstrated that he cares about the grassroots, and when you educate the grassroots, you are building the foundation of every society.
” He has approved every request we have made. I say this without hesitation: President Tinubu loves the people of Kano, the Northwest, and the North. He has never turned down any of our development proposals or requests.”
Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, said the President has done everything for the state.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) bestowed the highest honour of the association on the Deputy President of the Senate, “Commander of Nigerian Students and National Education Development Champion”, in recognition of my contribution to the development of the education sector.
The President of the Association, Comrade Olushola Oladoja, announced this while addressing the gathering.
His words: On this auspicious occasion, I, Comrade Olushola Oladoja, on behalf of the entire Nigerian student community — including our brothers and sisters from Kano State — do hereby salute the foresight, leadership, and enduring commitment of Senator Barau Jibrin to the growth of our generation.
” By the power vested in me as the National President and Commander of Armless Nigerian Students, and in line with the resolution of the NANS National Executive Council, I hereby confer on Distinguished Senator Barau Jibrin the honorary title of “Commander of Nigerian Students and National Education Development Champion.”
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assenting to a bill that converted the Federal Polytechnic Kabo to Federal University of Science and Technology, Kabo, Kano State.
The correspondences of the president on the establishment of three universities in Kano, Akwa Ibom and Oyo states were read on the floor of the Senate during Tuesday’s sitting presided over by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio.
The Deputy President of the Senate, who sponsored the bill on the conversion of the Federal Polytechnic Kabo to the Federal University of Science and Technology, said the development reflects the President’s relentless quest to improve access to higher education and to fast-track the development of the country by providing the necessary skills to Nigerian youths.
Senator Barau, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, described education as the sine qua non for the development of all societies.
“As we all know, youths are the cornerstones of the development of all societies. The conversion of the Polytechnic to the University of Science and Technology aligns with global best practices.
“We have a large population of youths in this country, and in the contemporary world, human capital development is important in delivering a national economy and development.
“Globally, ICT and science-related disciplines, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, and so on, are on the front burner. It’s through this kind of institution that we can train our youths in these fields,” he said.
He congratulated the Federal Polytechnic Kabo’s management, staff, students, and communities on this development.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) North West Zone emerged from its stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna on Saturday, endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for second term in 2027.
The meeting included the National Chairman of the Party, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; APC Governors from the zone, including Uba Sani (Kaduna); Nasir Idris (Kebbi) and Umar Namadi (Jigawa) as well Speaker Tajudeen Abbas; Senate Deputy President Barau I Jibrin, Ministers from the Zone and other stakeholders.
Others in attendance were chairmen of State Chapters of APC, state and federal legislators, heads of Federal Agencies, and senior political appointees.
The foundation for the president’s endorsement was laid when Barau I Jibrin, asked the gathering comprising the who’s who in the APC North West geopolitical zone, ” Aso Rock?” The crowd responded by saying,” No vacancy.”
After the gathering responded, Senator Barau said: “So it is clear in 2027, we will have a landslide victory, inshallah. So let us continue on the way we are going. Let us cooperate with one another, work with the president, work with everybody, cooperate amongst ourselves to have the desired victory.”
He said the defection of stalwarts of the opposition political parties to the APC was a result of President Tinubu’s performance in addressing the challenges bedevilling the country.
“This is not happening for nothing. There are reasons for this. What are the reasons? Number one is the performance of our dear president. The president, of course, inherited a lot of challenges, bedevilling our country. But he has come up with programs and policies to surmount these challenges.
“Security challenges, economic challenges, name them. We’ve seen how he has dealt with our problem, our security problem—the security we’ve been facing in the North West. Several areas were not accessible before now. You could not go to some areas before now. But now you can go to some places, you can travel from Abuja to Kaduna. This was quite impossible before he came to power.
“Similarly, before this administration, you could not go to Birnin Gwari, but life has returned to the area. The people have returned to their farmlands.Several areas that were not accessible are now accessible.
“We know we are not where we want to be. We are not there yet. We are not finally there yet. But it’s a work in progress. Mr President is working hard, day in and day out, to surmount this country’s insecurity problem, particularly in the North West. It is a work in progress. It is easy to have problems, but not easy to solve them.
“And of course, that is not alone. That is not the only reason we have these influxes to our party—the performance of our governors. Our governors are doing well, working day in, day out,” he said.
He added, “The national chairman of our party, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is leading all the party leaders in the country to bring about these improvements we are witnessing in APC. We are all here as brothers and sisters,” he said.
Ganduje, emphasised Tinubu is committed to developing the North West, the entire northern region and Nigeria by extension.
He said the commitment has been demonstrated through his several intervention projects, ranging from infrastructure to agriculture to social development across the northern region. He emphasised that the establishment of the North West Development Commission was a clear indication that the President loves the North West Region.
While assuring that “we have started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” Ganduje categorically stated that there will be no vacancy in Aso Rock Villa come 2027.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has through the Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF) shortlisted 215 candidates for Postgraduate Domestic Scholarships for the 2025/2026 Academic Session.
Barau, in his efforts to expand educational access for young Nigerians, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, in Abuja, launched the foreign and domestic scholarship programmes.
According to the statement, while 70 students are pursuing postgraduate programmes in India, the shortlisted candidates for the domestic postgraduate programmes have been invited for interview and screening on 20th to 21st April 2025 at the Bayero University, Kano School of Continuing Education (SCE), G/Dutse, K/Taya, Kano.
“You will recall that on January 6 this year, the Barau I Jibrin Foundation opened the application for its Domestic Postgraduate Scholarship. The shortlisted applicants have been selected from the 44 local government areas of Kano State for physical screening and interview.
“The programme offers a unique opportunity for academic growth, research and human capital development in various fields of science and technology.
“The programmes include M.Sc. Artificial Intelligence, M.Sc. Robotics Technology, M.Sc. Cyber Security, M.Sc. Data Science, M.Sc. Information Technology, M.Sc. Software Development, M.Sc. Mineral Exploration, M.Sc. Hydrogeology & Environmental Geology, M.Sc. Oil and Gas Operations, M.Sc. Applied Geophysics, M.Sc. Metallurgical and Material Engineering, M.Sc. Climate Change Management, M.Eng. Mechatronic and M.Eng. Intelligence System,” the foundation stated.
It added that six universities, Bayero University Kano, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and University of Nigeria Nsukka, have been selected for the program.
“We will continue to devise means to provide our youth with the needed education to compete favourably in the modern world. Education is the sine qua non for meaningful development,” the foundation said.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is laying a solid foundation for the country’s prosperity.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, in Abuja, the Deputy President of the Senate, urged all to support the President in his quest to address the challenges facing the country.
“By May 29, it will be exactly two years since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration came on board in the country. Yes, we are not there, and we cannot be in the promised land in less than 23 months when the numerous challenges facing our beloved country have weighed us down for decades.
“But a journey has started—the road is rough, but it’s for the restoration of our country’s glorious days. It is not easy to rebuild a shattered building.
“In the past decades, all spheres of our country—power, road infrastructure, agriculture, education, health, water, housing, and others—have been begging for genuine attention.
“This is coupled with the fact that this government came on board at the time that the entire world economy was and is still quite turbulent due to the high cost of basic goods and services all over the world arising from Russia-Ukraine, and Israel–Palestine wars. Nigeria is certainly not an exception.
“The good news is that the president is genuinely committed to addressing these challenges. Fresh air is already permeating all the country’s spheres, nooks and crannies to the admiration of lovers and good people, irrespective of differences and persuasions,” he said.
Senator Barau, who is the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said that since the present administration was inaugurated on May 29, 2023, President Tinubu has left no stone unturned in addressing the country’s challenges.
“The direction is clear, and the foundation is correctly and solidly laid for our country’s transformation and prosperity.
“For instance, admirable success has been recorded in the area of security. Hundreds of terrorists have been neutralised in the North West geopolitical zone.
“Yes, there are pockets of cases of kidnapping and attacks, but they are minimal compared to before the coming of this administration. The instances of incessant kidnapping on the Abuja/Kaduna road have become history.
“In the Southeast, the activities of unknown gunmen terrorising the region have been on the downward side. In the North East, Boko Haram was almost completely eradicated until the recent attacks in some parts of Borno State.
“I am confident that our gallant members of the Armed Forces will act decisively to smoke them out permanently.
“The people of the remaining five states in the North East live peacefully and conduct their lawful businesses—commendation to our gallant officers and men of the Armed Forces and other sister security agencies.
“With the enhanced peace across the country, the Federal Government has recently launched phase one of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) to revolutionise and industrialise the agricultural sector.
“SAPZ aims to transform Nigeria’s agriculture landscape through innovation, private-sector investments and strategic public partnerships.
“The zones are designed to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses and expand rural economic opportunities. Seven states, namely Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Imo, Cross River, and Federal Capital Territory, have been selected for phase one, while Bauchi, Borno, and Gombe are listed for Phase 2,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the establishment of the North-West, North Central, South-East, South-West, and South-South development commissions will significantly contribute to developing the country’s regions.
“With President Tinubu’s establishment of the development commissions, we will witness unprecedented development at the grassroots level.
“Also, the Abuja—Kaduna—Kano highway reconstruction, which dragged on for eight years under the last administration, has been flagged off and is receiving the needed attention,” he said.
On education, the Deputy President of the Senate described the introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) by the present administration as unprecedented.
He said that thousands of students across the country have benefitted so far, and their parents or guardians have been relieved of the stress of school fees payment.
He recalled that when President Tinubu took over, the economy was in terrible shape in all spheres.
“President Tinubu has been working genuinely to correct the fiscal misalignments. He has attracted foreign direct investments worth billions of dollars, paid the forex backlog and cleared the ways and means of the trillion Naira he inherited from the last administration.
“To this end, I urge all to give maximum support to the government to continue with these people-oriented and pro-masses initiatives conceived to take our country to the El Dorado.
“The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s prosperity.
“Let’s support him. We have no other country than the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are by the grace of God on the path to prosperity,” Senator Barau added.
