By Daily Review Online
Former Chairman of Kumbotso Local Government Area in Kano State, Abdullahi Gali Shitu, has returned to his tailoring business months after losing his seat, saying skilled trades provide greater stability than political office.
Popularly known as Comrade Abdullahi Gali Basaf, the former council boss now spends his days managing a tailoring workshop in Sheka Ward, supervising apprentices, cutting fabrics and sewing garments.
Speaking on his decision, Basaf said his return to tailoring was intentional and meant to encourage Nigerians, particularly politicians and young people, to embrace vocational skills instead of relying solely on politics for survival.
According to him, politics should be viewed as an opportunity to serve the public rather than a permanent source of livelihood.
He revealed that tailoring had sustained him for over a decade and even financed his political ambitions.
“Tailoring is not a small trade. It supported my political campaigns and other activities. Without it, sustaining my political career would have been difficult,” he said.
Basaf’s workshop currently employs about 20 people, and he plans to expand it into a modern garment company capable of creating more than 50 jobs.
He said his long-term goal is to build a thriving clothing business that contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s economy while proving that vocational skills can generate lasting wealth.
Despite holding bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science, Basaf said he chose to return to tailoring because it remains his passion and offers a more dependable future than political office.
His political career began with his involvement in the Kwankwasiyya movement. He later founded Kwankwasiyya Reporters 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, where he served as Senior Special Assistant on Information.
In 2024, he was elected chairman of Kumbotso Local Government and, during his one year and three months in office, said he established schools, facilitated healthcare projects and sponsored the education of more than 2,000 students.
However, his tenure ended in March 2026 after a Kano State High Court nullified his Certificate of Return and declared another candidate, Ali Musa, as the rightful winner of the election.
Although he remains active in politics, Basaf said tailoring has become his primary focus.
“Politics can change overnight. You can be in office today and out tomorrow, but a trade remains with you. It feeds you, supports your family and enables you to help others,” he said.
He added that he has no plans to quit politics completely but believes everyone should have a profession or business that can sustain them regardless of political fortunes.