Mohammed Ashiru Isa

Isa Ashiru Kudan (born 23 October 1962) is a Nigerian politician from Kudan, Nigeria. He is a business man 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 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 the 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 post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management.

He earned a master's degree in Public Policy and Administration from Bayero University Kano (BUK) during 2000–2001. 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, he resigned in 1996 after contesting for chairmanship under the Zero Party and losing. 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 a 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 (APC) and contested for the gubernatorial primaries, losing to Nasir El-Rufai. In 2018, Ashiru returned to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) and contested and won the gubernatorial primaries.

Ashiru was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) 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 petition for a recount was denied by the election petition tribunal, upholding El-Rufai’s victory.

In the 2023 governorship election, Ashiru won the PDP ticket with DR Ayuba John Markus as his running mate. He will challenge APC’s candidate, Senator Uba Sani. Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello, an APC chieftain, alleged that Ashiru lacks the necessary qualifications to become governor because he did not have 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 not qualified to contest. However, the court ruled in Ashiru’s favor, stating he meets the minimum educational qualification.