RismadarVoice Reporters, July 29, 2026
Former Chairman of Kumbotso Local Government Area in Kano State, Abdullahi Gali Shitu, popularly known as Comrade Abdullahi Gali Basaf, has returned to his tailoring business following his removal from office by a court, saying politics should not be treated as a profession or a means of livelihood.
Speaking in an interview, Basaf said his decision to resume tailoring was intended to encourage politicians to maintain legitimate sources of income outside public office and view politics as an avenue for public service rather than personal survival.
According to him, tailoring has been his primary occupation for more than 10 years and played a significant role in financing his political activities.
He described tailoring as a profitable profession that has sustained him over the years, noting that the business provided the financial support needed for his political campaigns and organisational activities.
Basaf currently operates a tailoring shop in Sheka Ward, Kumbotso Local Government Area, where he supervises about 20 apprentices. He revealed plans to expand the business into a garment manufacturing company that could employ at least 50 people.
He also urged young Nigerians to embrace vocational skills and modernise traditional trades instead of relying solely on politics or white-collar jobs for survival.
The former council chairman maintained that vocational skills offer greater security than political office, describing politics as uncertain because public office can be lost at any time, while a trade remains a dependable source of livelihood.
Despite holding Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science, Basaf said tailoring remains his passion and the foundation of his long-term plans.
Before becoming chairman of Kumbotso Local Government in 2024, Basaf founded the Kwankwasiyya Reporters platform in 2015, served as Kano State Chairman of the Alliance National Party, contested for a Senate seat in 2019 and later joined the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), where he served as Senior Special Assistant on Information.
His tenure as local government chairman ended in March 2026 after a Kano State High Court nullified his Certificate of Return and declared Ali Musa, popularly known as Hardworker, as the duly elected chairman.
Although he remains active in politics, Basaf said tailoring will continue to take priority, stressing that while political positions may be temporary, a vocational skill provides lasting economic security and the opportunity to support others.
