Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has distributed 47 Sharon cars and 282 Boxer motorcycles to leaders and officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his Kano North Senatorial District, in what his aides described as the latest phase of a capital-intensive grassroots empowerment programme aimed at promoting self-reliance and strengthening party structures. The items, which also included an unspecified number of additional motorcycles, were handed over to beneficiaries at a colourful ceremony held in Kano on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The recipients included APC local government chairmen and their secretaries from all 13 local government areas of the senatorial district, former party officials, members of the headmasters' forum, senior secondary school principals' forum, and junior secondary school principals' forum. The gesture was also extended to some women and youth groups affiliated with the party.
Speaking on behalf of the senator, his Chief of Staff, Professor Muhammad Ibn Abdullahi, explained that the empowerment programme was designed to enhance economic independence among beneficiaries while also improving mobility for party operations and community engagement. "Kano North Senatorial District is blessed with the Deputy President of the Senate, who keeps on distributing goods that would help stimulate human development and make life easy for those who benefit from them," Abdullahi said. He described the initiative as a "capital-intensive intervention" capable of moving beneficiaries towards financial independence. Abdullahi urged recipients not to sell the vehicles but to use them productively to generate income. He also made a veiled reference to political opponents, stating that the senator's supporters are not worried about "some evil machinations and calculated attacks" on their leader because those behind them are "people of low integrity."
The distribution was explicitly linked to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Salihu Sagir Takai, the Kano State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Agenda, told the gathering that Senator Barau's intervention mirrors the president's poverty reduction strategy but implemented at the grassroots level. "What Senator Barau Jibrin is doing is just the same as the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, but his own at the grassroots, removing poverty from the locals and their families," Takai said. He added that the gesture was designed to ease economic hardship and create opportunities for income generation. Takai confirmed that more phases of the programme would follow, noting that this was not the first such intervention and certainly would not be the last.
Senator Barau, who was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, said the distribution was part of his continued commitment to improving the welfare of his constituents and supporting grassroots mobilisation efforts within the APC. "This intervention is designed to ease economic hardship and create opportunities for income generation among beneficiaries," he said. According to a statement from his media office, the Deputy President of the Senate has lined up a series of interventions under his mega empowerment programmes to boost economic growth in Kano North and Kano State at large. The senator had previously announced plans to roll out a comprehensive mega empowerment programme covering all three senatorial districts of the state, beginning with the north. The current distribution is believed to be the first major phase of that rollout.
Shittu Madaki, the media aide to Senator Barau, said the selection process for beneficiaries was carefully conducted to ensure that the items reached the most deserving party officials and stakeholders. "What we have on the ground for distribution includes 47 cars, 282 motorcycles, and more of such goodies are coming soon," Madaki said. He assured that the current phase would not be the last, as additional rounds of support were being planned. Madaki also confirmed that the beneficiaries included former officials of the party in the zone, a move seen as an effort to heal old wounds and consolidate the senator's political base ahead of the 2027 elections.
The distribution of vehicles and motorcycles to party officials is a well-established political strategy in Nigeria, where politicians often deploy welfare initiatives to strengthen support bases and address economic challenges at the local level. In February 2025, Senator Barau had distributed 1,037 motorcycles and 63 cars to APC supporters across Kano State in appreciation for their loyalty to the party. That event, held at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, was also attended by thousands of party faithful. The senator's sustained empowerment efforts have made him a dominant political figure in Kano North, a senatorial district that includes major local government areas such as Kano Municipal, Tarauni, Fagge, and Dala, as well as the more rural Gwarzo, Kabo, and Karaye.
Several party stakeholders who spoke at Wednesday's event expressed appreciation for the intervention, describing it as timely and impactful in strengthening the political base of the APC in Kano North. They noted that the vehicles and motorcycles would significantly improve the mobility of party officials, enabling them to carry out grassroots mobilisation more effectively. The event ended with calls for sustained unity and cooperation among party members, as Senator Barau reaffirmed his commitment to delivering more developmental and empowerment initiatives in the district. As the 2027 elections draw nearer, the distribution of vehicles and motorcycles is likely to be interpreted by political observers as part of a broader strategy to secure the loyalty of party structures and ensure that the APC maintains its dominance in Kano North, a region that has historically been a stronghold of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). For the beneficiaries, however, the cars and motorcycles represent more than politics. They are tools for earning a living in a country where economic opportunities remain scarce for millions.
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