Ominous signs as Ganduje says he has request from CSOs to dethrone Emir Sanusi

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has said he had got a letter from 35 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) requesting him to dethrone the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi.

According to him, the CSOs asked him to dethrone the emir over alleged disobedience to constituted authority.

This was contained in a statement the governor’s spokesman, Abba Anwar, released on Thursday and made available to newsmen.

Anwar said the CSOs were worried that Emir Sanusi was making efforts to create a state within a state in Kano.

The statement read in part, “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has received a letter from a coalition of 35 civil society groups urging him to, in the interest of protecting the sanctity of the rule of law, and the mandate given to him by Kano electorate, as a matter of urgency, start the process of dethroning the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.

“The letter titled ‘Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019: Demand Letter’ states clearly that, ‘The coalition of 35 Civil Society Groups under the above-mentioned group (UMBRELLA OF KANO CONCERNED CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS) are curiously studying the unfolding events in the running of Kano State affairs especially in recent time, as it relates to the lingering face-off between the Government of Kano State on one hand and the Emir of Kano on the other hand.

“Reminding specifically that, matters that arose from the aftermath of Kano State High Court decision nullifying the Kano State Emirate Council Law, that was enacted by the State House of Assembly, which eventually paved way for the enactment of another Law, creating additional 4 First Class Emirates, which also empowers the Governor to take disciplinary measures against any erring emir, ‘…should be effected,’ according to the letter.

“The letter was signed by Comrade Ibrahim Ali, Chairman of the Coalition, which continues that, “Soon afterwards, the same Law which repeals all the existing Emirate Councils Laws, and consolidates it in the Kano State Emirate Council Law 2019, was again been challenged first by the purportedly 5 kingmakers from one of the 5 Emirates established by the said law.”

READ ALSO: We will wipe out PDP from the political map of Lagos —Lagos APC Chairman

“The letter lamented that, even the “…second litigation was initiated by the so-called Kano State Elders who indulged their group in their understanding that, the Law was aimed at distorting 1000 years of heritage or thereafter of Kano.”

“After narrating all the disagreed areas in the letter, the group demands that, ‘…the action of the Emir of Kano Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II of continued undermining the constituted authority of the government of Kano State and its organs, is not only unconstitutional, but is an effort to create a state within a state. Which no responsible leadership will tolerate and allow to remain unabated.”

Meanwhile, the statement did not mention names of the 35 CSOs.

Ganduje recently created four new emirates and appointed first-class emirs for them supposedly to reduce the powers of Emir Sanusi.

Recall also, that a coalition of 35 civil society organizations under the aegis of Umbrella of Kano Concerned Civil Society Groups on Wednesday, gave the Emir an ultimatum to submit himself to the state government.

Failure to do this, they urged the state government to dethrone the traditional ruler.

They made the call in a communiqué’ issued at the end of its meeting on Wednesday and signed by the chairman, Ibrahim Ali.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now