EditorThe atmosphere appears charged within the Kano Emirate as the Governor-elect of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, sets official eyes on deposed Emir Muhammad Sanusi II for his inauguration on Monday May 29, 2023.
This has sparked speculations that the deposed Emir Sanusi could be returned after he was removed and banished from Kano by incumbent Governor Ganduje for what he described as insubordination to the government of the State.
Governor-elect Yusuf, an engineer who won the election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), a political party promoted by outgoing Governor Ganduje’s arch rival and former Governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, had defeated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the election. Recall that it was Kwankwaso as governor in 2014 who ensured that Sanusi, a former central bank governor and avowed critic of President Goodluck Jonathan government at the time, emerged Emir of Kano against the run of play in the twilight of the Jonathan Presidency.
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Yusuf’s victory over APC’s Nasir Gawuna, Governor Ganduje’s anointed candidate in the 2023 governorship election therefore set the stage for some post-inauguration political upheavals and has left many thinking what would become of the new Emir of Kano and the new Emirate structure put in place by the Ganduje government just three years ago.
Recall that Governor-elect Yusuf’s political father, Rabiu Kwakwanso was reported to have held long hours of peace meeting in London with President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu in what many a political pundit speculated was an indication that Ganduje may after all, struggle to find a foothold in Kano State and in Tinubu’s federal government if Kwankwaso truly finds favour with the new government.
Ganduje and his Kaduna State counterpart were active participants in the processes leading to emergence of Tinubu as President-elect.
Why Ganduje Deposed Emir Sanusi in 2020
Ganduge in March 2020 had cited reasons of insubordination and failure to attend official meetings and breach of Kano Emirate Law. The Kano State government, in a statement signed by Secretary to the State Government, Usman Alhaji, announced Sanusi’s removal at the time.
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Before the announcement on Monday March 9, 2020, there was a free-for-all among lawmakers in the Kano State House of Assembly over an attempt to remove the independent-minded Sanusi, who at the time was also critical of the Ganduje government, calling for reforms in education and human capital development among others.
“This invitation extended to the deposed Emir Sanusi by the Governor-elect has set tongues wagging regarding the intentions of the incoming NNPP government,” a source close to the ruling APC told Prime Business Africa on Sunday morning.
What Governor-elect Yusuf’s Invitation Letter to Muhammad Sanusi II Says:
The invitation letter to “Swearing-in Ceremony” from the “Office of The Governor Elect Kano State”, as sighted by PBA Correspondent, was addressed to His Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II.”
It was personally signed by the Governor-elect and reads in part: “It is therefore my great pleasure to invite to my swearing-in ceremony along with my deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo.”
See the invitation letter below:
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