Mohammed Ashiru Isa

Isa Ashiru Kudan (born 23 October 1962) is a Nigerian politician from Kudan, Nigeria. He is a businessman and holds the traditional title of Sarkin Bai of Zazzau Emirate. He is the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party for 2023 in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

He was previously the House of Representatives of Nigeria representing Kudan/Makarfi Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2015, and Member representing Kudan Constituency at Kaduna State House of Assembly. Ashiru was born on 23 October 1962 in Kudan Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State. He is married to one wife and blessed with 7 children. He lost his father at a very young age.

Ashiru attended LEA Primary School, Kudan from 1968 to 1974. Between 1975 and 1980, Ashiru attended Secondary School at Kufena College Wusasa, Zaria. He proceeded to earn his National Diploma in Business Administration from 1982 to 1985 at Katsina Polytechnic. From 1987 to 1989, he attended Kaduna State Polytechnic and completed his HND.

In 1990, he served the National Youth Service Corps (BO/KD/89/42117) in Borno State. In 1999, he acquired a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Management. He earned a master's degree in Public Policy and Administration from Bayero University Kano (BUK) between 2000 and 2001.

After his SSCE, Ashiru worked with Kaduna State Ministry of Finance from 1980 to 1982. He later moved to Kaduna State Board of Internal Revenue from 1985 to 1992, before working with Kaduna State Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism from 1992 to 1997. In 1996, following his resignation, he contested for chairmanship under the Zero Party and lost.

He re-contested in 1997 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and also lost. In 1998, he contested for the position of Member of Kaduna State House of Assembly under the Democratic People's Party (DPN) and lost. In 1999, Ashiru was elected as Member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Kudan Constituency under the Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria). In 2003, he was re-elected for a second term.

In 2007, he was elected Member representing Kudan/Makarfi Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria. In 2011, he was re-elected to serve for a second term. At the House of Representatives, Ashiru was the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

In 2014, Ashiru decamped to the All Progressives Congress and contested for the gubernatorial primaries, losing to Nasir El-Rufai. In 2018, Ashiru returned to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria), where he contested and won the gubernatorial primaries. Ashiru was the governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2019 Kaduna State gubernatorial election. Sunday Marshall Katung was his running mate.

Nasir El-Rufai polled 1,045,427 votes (55.32%) to defeat Ashiru, who got 814,168 votes (43.08%). Ashiru’s PDP alleged election controversies and irregularities. The election petition tribunal declined his request for a recount, upholding El-Rufai’s victory.

Ashiru won the PDP ticket for the 2023 gubernatorial election in Kaduna State, with former Kaduna State Commissioner of Finance, John Markus Ayuba, as his running mate. He will challenge APC’s candidate, Senator Uba Sani. A PDP chieftain, Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello, alleged that Ashiru lacks the required qualifications to become governor due to missing a leaving school certificate. Ashiru denied submitting fake credentials to INEC and sued Bello for defamation.

In a separate case, a PDP member, Abdullahi Isa, filed a suit at the High Court in Zaria, alleging Ashiru was unqualified. However, the court ruled in Ashiru’s favor, confirming he meets the minimum educational qualification to contest the 2023 gubernatorial election.