…Says judge who tried to stop Sanusi’s restoration in America
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has presented the letter of reinstatement to 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
Presenting the letter to him on Friday, the governor said, “We return Sanusi out of conviction that he was victimised in 2019.
“We also return him as the rightful Emir of Kano, to continue the good job he was doing for the good of Kano People.”
Commenting on the legislative process that led to Sanusi’s reinstatement, the governor said, “Once a bill is signed into law, it has become law and nobody can change that.
“Your re-appointment was guided by the collective belief and judgement of your competency, dedication and zeal for the development of Kano state and its environs.
“As you ascend the throne of the Kano Emirate of Kano state, you should be guided in your conduct by the teachings of Islam which you are known for.”
He urged Sanusi to re-unite the family of Ibrahim Dabo and also do more to ensure that Islamic sects were brought together as “one worshipers of Allah.”
The judge in America
Meanwhile, Governor also on Friday said Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano, who issued an order on Thursday restraining the state government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law, “is currently in America.”
The governor said he signed the proposed law at exactly 5:14 pm, after which the orders were issued.
“It means they were already armed with the motion ex-parte even before I gave assent to the bill passed by the House of Assembly or at what time had they approached the court to obtain the order?” he asked.
Blueprint gathered that Justice Mohammed Liman gave the order following an application by a kingmaker, Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, naming the Kano state government, Kano Assembly, the speaker, the Attorney-General, the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (SSS) as respondents.
According to the governor, “The judge is in America, how can he sit in America and give order in Nigeria to stop a legitimate process?”
Yusuf said Sanusi’s re-instatement was delayed because “due process was being followed.”
“The Assembly members did their legislative duty and passed the bill into law. We met with law enforcement agencies and the kingmakers before I signed the law,” he said, adding that the law “has come to stay and no one can stop it.”
He said the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024 happened to affect the five (dethroned) emirs while favouring Sanusi.
The new law
The new law says, “All traditional office holders and title holders elevated or appointed to an office created under the repealed Principal Law, dated 5th December 2019, shall revert to their positions where such positions previously existed under recognised custom and traditions prior to the enactment of the repealed Principal Law dated 5th December 2019.
According to the governor, “It is not a new stool; neither Sanusi is a new emir. The king has only returned home to his throne after it was balkanised. It has all along been his throne.”
He said Kano “is peaceful and calm,” and appealed to the people to go about their businesses freely.
After the governor had presented the re-instatement letter to him, Sanusi led the Juma’at prayer for Muslims at the Government House.
The governor said after the Juma’at prayer that Sanusi would return to his lodge with members of his emirate council to continue with the business of the emirate council.
“An announcement shall be made later as to when he will move to the palace,” the governor said, charging the emir, an Islamic scholar, to use his wisdom to unite all the Islamic sects in the state.
As soon as he received his appointment letter and confirmation as emir of Kano, all the district heads and senior council chiefs bowed and paid allegiance to him.
Northern elders
In a related development, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has sent a strong message to Governor Yusuf, expressing concern over the recent developments in the state, urging him to prioritise the interests of the people above his.
The group urged the governor and his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to “tread carefully over the current happenings in the state.”
It further advised them to exercise caution in handling sensitive issues to prevent further escalation of tensions.
The elders said the recent events in state were “a clear example of the struggles faced by traditional rulers” in the country.
This was contained in a statement signed by NEF’s director of publicity and advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman.
The statement read in part, “It is important for all parties involved to approach the matter with the utmost care and professionalism, keeping in mind the potential consequences of their actions.
“Rash decisions and inflammatory statements can only serve to worsen the situation and jeopardize the peace and stability of the state.
“Violence and unrest will only serve to further divide us and hinder any chance of finding a peaceful resolution to the current situation.”
In a related development, protesters on Friday stormed the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly Abuja, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the crisis over the Kano Emirate.
The protesters, who marched peacefully, carried banners expressing concerns about the escalating situation in the state.
They urged President Tinubu to use his good offices to resolve the crisis and ensure the restoration of peace and stability in the state.
The protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Patriots of Nigeria, said Governor Yusuf had taken his abuse of office to another level by dissolving the traditional council.
The group’s coordinator, Abdullahi Muhammed Saleh, said, “A lot had been going wrong in the state, but the Concerned Patriots of Nigeria had thought it best to allow Kano state to sort out its thorny issues. However, Thursday’s brash actions of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state, who sacked five emirs to re-appoint Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi as the 14th Emir of Kano has awoken us to the urgency of raising the alarm about the destructive excesses of the governor.
“Since being sworn into office, Governor Abba Yusuf has a string of loutish acts that run like a hardened criminal’s rap sheet. All in the name of rubbishing his predecessor, he started with a demolition spree that has served to impoverish the people whose lives he took an oath to improve. Thus he proved himself to be anti-people.”
Continuing, he said, “The governor then attempted to destroy the structures of political parties in the state. The impish fanaticism with which he pursued this illicit mission saw him intruding into the structure of other political parties, including hiring some charlatans who purportedly suspended the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who is interestingly his predecessor. Thus, he proved himself to be anti-democratic.
“This latest stunt of sacking five emirs to install his acolyte was achieved by manipulating the Kano state House of Assembly, which he had successfully turned into a rubber stamp for endorsing his illegal acts. He has eroded the autonomy guaranteed by the separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“It is inconceivable that any right-thinking person will descend low to the point of manipulating the traditional institution for political gimmicks. The humiliation meted out to the five emirs was most unbecoming and we have cause to believe that Abba Yusuf has set the stage for using the traditional institution as ancient and as esteemed as that of Kano for a political seesaw will continue since his successor will revert to the five emirates. The Kano governor has thus proven himself to be the anti-traditional institution leader.”
He said further, “The governor’s choice of actions flies in the face of reason and has no place in a sane and civilised society. We urge Governor Yusuf to retrace his steps and stop further undermining the peace of Kano state and by implication the peace in Nigeria.
“We also condemn the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) – dominated Kano state House of Assembly that they have cemented their place as a conclave of shame to have reverted to a mere rubber stamp for the megalomanic tantrums of the governor.
“They, alongside Governor Yusuf, have taken their desperation to an extent that could set the ancient city on fire and cause breaches in the land. We are here today to appeal to President Tinubu to intervene in the Kano Emirate crisis.
“We need the president’s urgent attention to prevent further breakdown of law and order. We believe that President Tinubu’s intervention is crucial at this critical moment. We are counting on his leadership to find a lasting solution to the crisis and ensure peace returns to Kano state.”