The meeting between the National Security Advise, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may have ended without a pathway to resolving the crisis over the Kano Emirate stool, which is claimed by Muhammadu Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero.
The Kano State had recently passed a law abolishing four emirate councils, which were created back in 2019 by the government of Abdullahi Ganduje and revert to one emirate. The state government subsequently appointed Sanusi as Emir of Kano.
Apart from the partisan wrangling, a legal tussle has since ensued with the state high court issuing orders in support of Sanusi, while the federal high court in the state has issued rulings that appear in support of Ado Bayero.
The state government initially suggested that the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu had a hand in the return of Bayero to the state but later put the blame on the All Progressives Congress, with its chairman and former Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje as the lead instigator.
But Governor Yusuf’s NNPP government has chosen to work around the former Kano governor and met with Ribadu on Thursday. The office of the NSA however refused to disclose the outcome of the hour-long meeting.
The spokesman of the NSA, Zakari Mijinyawa told LEADERSHIP Weekend that it was a closed meeting and referred our correspondent to the state governor, whose office released a statement and pictures the meeting.
The statement released by the governor’s spokesperson Sanusi Bature and made available to journalist in Kano on Thursday did not address the outcome of the meeting and only explained the mission of the governor in meeting with Ribadu.
According to Bature, the meeting, which lasted for more than an hour, was prompted by the recent happenings in Kano following the dissolution of five emirates by the Kano State House of Assembly through the repeal of the state emirate law, and the subsequent restoration of Emir Muhammad Sanusi II by the Governor.
He explained that the two political leaders deliberated on various matters relating to state/national development and the peaceful coexistence of the nation.
He recalled that the NSA had been accused of involvement in the Kano crisis for allowing a substantial military presence to protect the deposed Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, a position which was swiftly discredited by the NSA office, and subsequently an apology from the deputy governor who uttered the words.
“Recognizing the respected professional background and integrity of the NSA throughout his time as an Officer and Anti-corruption campaigner, the state deemed it necessary to retract the allegation and offer a sincere apology.
“In harmony with these events, the Governor’s meeting with the NSA coincided with Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II’s six-day stay at the Kano palace, where a significant majority of district heads and kingmakers already pledged their allegiance and loyalty to the newly consolidated Kano Emirate under the leadership of the 16th Emir.
“It was a fruitful discussion between myself and the National Security Adviser, his role is critical for the harmonious existence of our nation, so I briefed him on the recent developments in Kano,” the statement quoted the governor to have stated.
The governor further urged the residents to continue their regular activities in compliance with the rule of law and assured them of peace and tranquility.
LEADERSHIP Weekend however gathered that the governor failed to make any headway in his meeting with Ribadu as there new legal and political developments that have further complicated issues.
Added to the legal tussle, is the refusal of the other Emirs and Emirate councils that had been abolished just over a week ago to quietly accept their fate.
These Emirates are Kano, Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi with Aminu Ado Bayero, Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa, Aliyu Ibrahim, Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar II and Nasiru Ado Bayero are the Emirs respectively.
These appointments were made under the reign of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kano.
Following a fierce battle, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) took over power from the APC led government with Abba Yusuf as the governor with promises to retracts some of the things put in place by the immediate past regime, one of which is returning the state to the former single Kano Emirate.
The new NNPP government after about a year in office finally desolved the five Emirates and returned to the former Status Quo of one single Emirate.
The governor Abba Yusuf assented to the new law and reappointed Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
A tussle was soon to begin on becomes the Emir in the new arrangement between the 15th Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero and the 14th Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II.
What is generally believed by the Kano public is that the ruling APC government is not in support of reappointing Sanusi II as the 16th Emir Kano while the NNPP led state government insists on him.
About what happens to the other deposed Emirs, the Emir of the former Gaya Emirate, Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulqadir has publicly accepted his removal from office.
On his side, the Emir of the former Bichi Emirate, Nasiru Ado Bayero, has remained silent on the matter and is said to be outside the country since the incident first broke out.
However, stakeholders of the former Bichi Emirate have met with news men to announce that the Emirate be reinstated because since it’s creation, they have achieved both economic and physical infrastructural developments in the Emirate.
The Emir of the former Karaye Emirate, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar II had since moved to Kaduna. Nothing has been heard from his side on the issue of founding a single Emirate.
The Emir of the former Rano Emirate has also Kabir Muhammad had also not issued any statement on the entire saga.
Former Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had appointed the Emirs in 2019 and dethroned Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano only a year after.
Calm in Kano as Sanusi, Bayero hold parallel Friday prayers
Meanwhile, the Kano State Police Command has commended residents for their peaceful behaviour as Emirs Muhammad Sanusi II and Aminu Bayero presided over Friday prayers simultaneously in Kano.
Both Emirs are laying claim to the throne. While Sanisu was reinstated by Gov. Abba Yusuf, Bayero is contesting his dethronement in the court.
The city of Kano was predicted to witness clashes between the supporters of the two parties with the police warning potential trouble makers to stay away from Kano.
While Sanusi led at the Central Mosque, Bayero, observed his prayers at the Nasarawa Palace.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Usaini Gumel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Friday, that prayers conducted in a peaceful atmosphere across the 44 LGAs of the state.
“I am very pleased with the orderly manner faithful residents conducted themselves before, during and after the prayer’s without rancour in all parts of the state.
The Commissioner praised residents for their cooperation with police personnel deployed in and outside the metropolis, which resulted in zero crime being recorded.
He appealed to residents to continue cooperating with the police to ensure peaceful coexistence in the state.
“This is a testament to the effective collaboration between law enforcement and the community.
“The police command looks forward to continued partnership in maintaining peace and order in the state”, he said.
Alleged N2.5bn Pension Fraud: EFCC Quizzes Kwankwaso
The crisis in Kano has also added another layer of complication after the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), quizzed a former Kano State governor and leader of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, over alleged N2.5bn pension fraud.
Though EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale would not speak on the issue or answer his phone, our correspondent learned that Kwankwaso was invited and had been grilled by EFCC interrogators for some hours.
An online medium reported that a source in the anti-graft agency familiar with the matter but had no authourisation to speak, said, “The commission invited Kwankwaso over the alleged N2.5bn Kano pension funds. We have grilled Kwankwaso over the matter, and he has provided some details to interrogators.”
Another source noted, “Former Kano governor, Kwankwaso has been invited by the commission. He has been grilled, and we’re continuing with our investigation.”
Recall that in March 2023 that the Abuja zonal command of the EFCC handed over documents of properties and 324 houses recovered for the Kano State pensioners to them.
The EFCC had said then that the handover of the houses was occasioned by a final forfeiture order granted by Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting Abuja.
Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson said that the forfeiture was a result of successful investigations carried out by the EFCC over a N4.1bn Pension Trust Fund contributed by the pensioners to own houses, which was fraudulently denied them by two successive administrations in Kano State.
Oyewale said, “The commission investigated a petition by Concerned Kano State Workers and Pensioners of alleged misappropriation of pension funds in the state. Findings by the EFCC showed that the state government entered into a tripartite agreement with the Kano State Pension Trust Fund to build housing estates for an aggregate sum of N41bn, out of which the Pension Trust Fund was to contribute N4.1bn.”