Former Kumbotso Local Government Chairman in Kano State, Abdullahi Gali Shitu, widely known as Comrade Abdullahi Gali Basaf, has gone back to his tailoring business after losing his position through a court judgment earlier this year.
Basaf said returning to his trade was a deliberate choice to show that public office should not be seen as a permanent means of livelihood. He stressed that elected officials should have businesses or professions they can rely on outside politics.
Speaking with Daily Trust, the former council boss explained that tailoring has been his occupation for many years and was the business that sustained him before and during his time in politics.
“Tailoring is not a small trade. It is a major one. It sustains livelihoods. Even in politics, my tailoring business helped me financially to support my campaigns and organisations. Without it, it would have been impossible to sustain political activities,” he said.
Basaf currently manages a tailoring shop in Sheka Ward, where he trains about 20 apprentices. He said he hopes to grow the business into a full garment production company capable of creating at least 50 jobs.
“My goal is to modernise tailoring, establish a garment company, and employ fifty or more people. I want to contribute to the economy,” he added.
He urged young Nigerians to learn practical skills and stop looking at politics or office jobs as the only path to success.
“My message is that they should not despise trades; they should value and modernise them,” he said.
According to him, tailoring offers greater security because political positions are temporary and can be lost at any time.
“Value your trade more than politics, because it sustains you and enables you to support your political activities,” he advised.
Although he holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science, Basaf said his passion for tailoring remains strong and he is committed to expanding the business.
Before becoming chairman of Kumbotso Local Government, he founded the Kwankwasiyya Reporters platform, led the Kano chapter of the Alliance National Party, contested for a Senate seat in 2019 and later served as Senior Special Assistant on Information after joining the New Nigeria People’s Party.
Basaf won the local government election in 2024 but left office in March 2026 after the Kano State High Court voided his Certificate of Return and declared Ali Musa, also known as Hardworker, the rightful winner.
Despite returning to tailoring, he said he still has political ambitions and will remain active in public affairs.
“Politics can change overnight. You can be in office today and out tomorrow. But tailoring remains. It feeds you, it supports your family, and it allows you to help others,” he said.
He added that he has no plans to quit politics, insisting he will continue to contribute to Nigeria’s democratic process.