Ganduje vs Sanusi: Buhari Threatened To Impose State Of Emergency In Kano State

A report by the committee set up to intervene in the face-off between Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi Lamido has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari once threatened to declare a state of emergency in Kano State over the lingering crisis.

The report revealed the president had warned the two leaders to find a solution to the escalating crisis or he may be forced to impose a state of emergency on Kano if their actions threatened the peace of the state.

Naija News reports the reconciliation committee was headed by former Nigerian military head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Recall Abubakar had after Sanusi’s dethronement lamented that the eventual removal of the Emir from office amounted to waste of the efforts of the committee which attempted to resolve the crisis.

After its initial findings, the committee saw the need to brief the President on the situation of things in Kano State. Three members were therefore assigned to brief President Buhari.

“After the inaugural meeting of the Committee, the need arose to brief Mr. President on the escalation of the crisis in Kano and three members were assigned to brief him,” the report sighted by The Cable reads.

“He immediately said that a Presidential Jet could be made available for them to visit Kano with clear message to the two parties that the President will not hesitate to declare a state of emergency in Kano should there be any breach of peace.

“Governor Ganduje was contacted and he informed the Committee that he was in Abuja and they arranged to meet him there. The Emir also flew to Abuja from Kano to meet the three members of the Committee.

“The three Committee members met the Governor and delivered the message of Mr. President on December 2, 20l9. Thereafter on the same day they also met the Emir with the same message. After delivering Mr. President’s message the three members called on the two parties to de-escalate the situation in Kano pending speedy reconciliatory meetings.

“The three members reported to Mr. President, the outcome of their mission as he had directed. They also issued a Press Statement on the need for both parties to maintain peace and stop any actions that will heighten the conflict. These engagements served to restore confidence and bring about hope of reconciliation and resolution of the crisis.”

The committee identified poor communication, new legislation (Kano state emirates council law, 2019), Sanusi’s public utterances, and appointment of new emirs as major factors that fueled the crisis between the governor and the deposed emir.

It will be recalled Emir Sanusi was eventually dethroned on Monday by the Kano State government under the leadership of Abdullahi Ganduje. A new Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero has since been appointed in his place.

In the wake of the dethronement, a former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, had alleged that President Buhari ordered the dethronement of Sanusi, an allegation that has since been denied by the presidency.

Sanusi after his dethronement has since being banished to Nasarawa State, first to Loko, before he was subsequently relocated to Awe.

The Kano State government later came out to deny banishing Sanusi, noting that he was only dethroned by the government.