THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Amin Little, has unveiled 36-year-old Abdulkadir Shehu Bari as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election, describing the choice as part of efforts to offer residents a new direction in governance.
News Point Nigeria reports that Ali Amin made the announcement on Sunday while addressing journalists in Kano, where he also outlined key areas his proposed administration would prioritise if elected governor of the state.
Bari, who hails from Rogo Local Government Area of Kano State, is an ICT professional, academic, administrator, educationist and community development advocate.
According to the citation presented during the unveiling, Bari began his education at Police Children’s School, Bompai, Kano, before proceeding to Government Secondary School, Kwankwaso, for his secondary education.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Bayero University, Kano, and later earned a master’s degree in Information Technology from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
Bari has built much of his professional and academic career at an agricultural college in Kano, where he has served in various academic and administrative capacities.
His positions include Head of the Department of Computer Science, Head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence, Director of ICT, Director of Linkages and Affiliations, and Coordinator of the institution’s outreach centre.
During his tenure as Head of the Department of Computer Science, the institution introduced four specialised Higher National Diploma programmes in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Data Protection, Networking and Cloud Computing, and Software and Web Development.
Bari was also said to have initiated and presented a proposal for the establishment of a School of Computing at the institution, an initiative that was subsequently approved and implemented.
His professional interests include artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science, ICT and digital transformation, programming and emerging technologies.
He has also participated in curriculum development and review, particularly in computer science and artificial intelligence, including engagements with the National Board for Technical Education.
Bari has also served as Secretary-General of the Nigerian Computer Society, Kano State Chapter.
Speaking on his candidature and choice of running mate, Ali Amin said the ADC ticket was designed to offer Kano residents a new direction in governance.
He said his administration, if elected, would focus on what he described as resetting Kano State through a comprehensive blueprint covering education, healthcare, youth development, infrastructure, business development and social welfare.
“We are just on the verge of putting finishing touches to our blueprint that will reset Kano and take it to greater heights,” he said.
Little said his administration would give particular attention to drug abuse among young people, promising rehabilitation, education and skills acquisition programmes for those affected.
He also criticised the state of public education, saying many parents had lost confidence in government schools because of inadequate infrastructure and poor service delivery.
According to him, the proposed ADC administration would improve infrastructure and service delivery across basic, secondary and tertiary education, with the aim of making government schools attractive to parents.
On healthcare, the candidate said his administration would seek to improve infrastructure, the availability of medicines and staffing in public hospitals.
He said the party was developing a roadmap that would identify the current state of affairs across different sectors and establish measurable targets for moving the state forward.
Little also promised to introduce social welfare programmes targeting vulnerable groups, particularly widows with dependants, elderly people without support and other indigent residents.
He said the administration would also work to return out-of-school children to classrooms while providing vocational training for young people.
“We are going to concentrate on the youth, take them off the streets, teach them vocational skills, educate them and give them opportunities to serve in all categories of government,” he said.
The ADC candidate further pledged to promote local production through the establishment of cottage industries and the revival of existing industries.
He said Kano currently depends heavily on products brought from other parts of the country, particularly Lagos and the South, promising to encourage the local production of everyday goods.
He also listed agriculture-related activities, including animal husbandry, poultry and fishery, among areas where his administration would seek to develop specialised production clusters.
Little said the administration would also support innovation, particularly in science and technology, by identifying and supporting talented young people.
On political participation, he promised to create an environment where young people and other qualified residents could seek elective and party positions based on competence rather than family connections.
He said the ADC would also mentor young people to take up leadership responsibilities.