…Says APC zoning should be respected
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, said the former Emir of Kano , Muhammad Sanusi, was removed because he did not understand the responsibilities of a traditional ruler.
Sanusi was dethroned in March 2020 by the state government, “to safeguard the sanctity, culture , tradition, religion and prestige of the Kano Emirate built over a thousand years.”
Ganduje , who spoke on Politics Today , a Channels Television programme, on Friday alleged that the former emir was unable to transition from a social critic to a traditional ruler , adding that the former emir forgot “ to watch his tongue ” and was destroying the institution .
The governor said , “The real story was that the deposed emir of Kano did not understand the responsibilities of a traditional ruler especially for a strong institution like that of Kano .
“The emir of Kano was a social critic , a celebrated social critic and there was nothing wrong with that because he is an educated person ; there is freedom of speech.”
He noted that as deputy to former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso , Sanusi was an executive director in a bank .
The governor said , “ He ( Sanusi ) made a statement that instead of providing water in the state , we were building a house in Abuja – the governor ’ s lodge in Asokoro .
“ I remember my governor said either the bank sacks him or we should withdraw our accounts from the bank and the bank did not sack him , so we withdrew N 969 m from that bank . That was the work of a social critic .”
According to Ganduje , when Sanusi became the emir of Kano , he refused to change his stature to that of a traditional ruler .
“ He is an economist but he failed to understand ( that) in economics, you have to inherit assets and liabilities .
“ But he only inherited the assets of a traditional institution by giving orders , staying in a mansion , dressing gorgeously, ( and) being addressed as a king , but ( not) the liability of that institution – you have to watch your words . You have to watch your tongue , and he didn’ t do that .
“ That was the problem . That was the biggest problem ; that he could not change his mode of life from social critic to an institution .
“ As of now , that institution does not afford a social critic of his style . With the problem in the society , he was destroying the institution . That was why I had a problem with him ; he was destroying the institution ,” Ganduje added .
Speaking on the next All Progressives Congress presidential candidate , Ganduje said the slot should be given to the southern region.
“ I think zoning should be respected as a strategy to win the election – the southern part of the country – but there should be a consensus from the members ,” he stated .