The former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Wednesday alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari gave Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje the marching order to remove Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano.
Breaking silence on the controversy surrounding the Emir’s dethronement, he lamented that President Buhari “doesn’t interfere where his intervention is needed, but interferes on issues he is supposed to be neutral about.”
Kwankwaso speaking with BBC Hausa said the Kano state government officials said that they were directed to dethrone Sanusi lI.
Kwankwaso: “We believe here in Kano that Buhari interferes where he wishes.
“Kano state government officials have been saying they were directed to dethrone Mr Sanusi ll. Buhari instructed them.”
The former governor stated that Buhari “doesn’t interfere where his intervention is needed, but interferes on issues he is supposed to be neutral about.”
Kwankwaso also said: “the emir (Sanusi) is a global citizen.”
Following Sanusi’s sack, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the former emir of Bichi was immediately appointed in his place. The former Kano emir, Sanusi II, was whisked away from the palace by security operatives and banished to Nasarawa state, where he has since been cooling off.
The Secretary to the State Government, Usman Alhaji, who announced the unanimous decision said the removal of the monarch followed his alleged disrespect to lawful instructions by the state governor.
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According to him, the persistent refusal of the Emir to attend official meetings and programmes organised by the government without any justification amounting to insubordination is part of what has informed his removal.
He said that it was on record that Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II had been found breaching Part 3 Section 13 (a-e) of the Kano State Emirate law 2019. He said if such attitude was left unchecked, it would destroy the good and established image of the Kano Emirate.
“This removal is made after due consultation with the relevant stakeholders and in compliance with Part 3 section 13 of the Kano State Emirate law 2019 and other reasons stated above.
“The removal was reached to safeguard the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion and prestige of the Kano Emirate built over a thousand years. Sanusi, who was the 14th emir of Kano under the Fulani dynasty, was appointed as the Emir of Kano on June 8, 2014.”
Meanwhile, legal luminaries in the country have vociferously condemned the banishment of Sanusi to Nasarawa. The legal experts said it is archaic and violates the former Emir’s right to freedom of movement as guaranteed by the 1999 constitution.
Already, a legal team headed by Abubakar Mahmood, (SAN) on Tuesday issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the federal government to wade in and secure Sanusi’s release, threatening a legal showdown on his detention.
