Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Emir of Kano
Muhammadu Sanusi II, are back on good terms.
This followed intervention in the widely reported ‘war’ by
some Northern Governors at the weekend.
Sanusi is being investigated by the Kano state Public
Complaint and Anti-Corruption Agency (KSPCACA) over an alleged misappropriation
of around N5billion supposedly left behind by his predecessor, the late Alhaji
Ado Bayero.
Sanusi, denied the allegation, insisting that he has spent
less than N3billion since his installation.
The state government’s anti-corruption agency may have launched
the probe of Kano Emirate Council finances in retaliation for Sanusi’s open
criticism of Ganduje’s project priorities.
Last Tuesday, DAILY POST reported that Sanusi may be
suspended by the Kano government to make way for thorough probe.
But the face-off became source of concern for Northern
Governors who decided to wade in before the matter degenerates.
Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto, Nasiru El-Rufa’i
of Kaduna, Kashim Shettima of Borno, Aminu Masari of Katsina and Abubakar Sani
Bello of Niger brokered peace on Friday night.
The meeting held at the Government House in Kaduna and was
first attended by the Emir and the Governors before they were joined by some
senior officials from the Kano State Government and the Emirate Council.
Governors Tambuwal, Shettima and El-Rufa’i had earlier met
with Ganduje in Abuja on Thursday night before resolving to invite the Emir to
Kaduna on Friday.
The governors had used the wedding of a nephew of President
Muhammadu Buhari to meet warring parties.
The wedding took place on Saturday, according to Daily
Trust.
During the wedding, the Emir sat next to Ganduje at one of
the events lined-up, chatted, laughed and also walked out of the hall together.
Tambuwal, leader of the team, was said to have identified
governors with close relationships to both the Emir and Ganduje.
During the first meeting in Abuja, Ganduje opened up to his
colleagues on what he described as the Emir’s disrespect for his office as
Governor of Kano State.
He said the Emir was behaving as if he was independent of
the State Government whereas he is an appointee of the Government who is
answerable to a Commissioner, not even to the Governor.
Ganduje, it was learnt, expressed his frustration with the
Emir and said he was determined to remind him that he had limits.
The three Northern Governors at the Abuja meeting however
appealed to Ganduje to forgive the Emir in the interest of stability in Kano
and to preserve the image of Northern Nigeria and of the ruling APC.
They said any further escalation of the crisis will give
room for the opposition, who had wanted one of the Bayeros as Emir, to
celebrate.
At the Kaduna meeting, Emir Sanusi reportedly accepted his
“faults” after the governors reminded him that he was an appointee of the
governor and his palace was being funded with public funds approved by the
Governor.
A source had told our DAILY POST that Ganduje was
considering dethroning Sanusi who was installed by his estranged godfather,
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
But the governors begged Ganduje to drop the idea after the
Emir apologised for his conduct.
By Wale Odunsi
