- Why Buhari won’t intervene in Kano emirate crisis
Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Saturday installed the four new Emirs of Rano, Bichi, Karaye and Gaya Emirates, who were appointed via a controversial bill he signed into law on Wednesday, saying that court order restraining the State Government from implementing the law came late after letters of appointment had been issued to the new Emirs.
The emirs’ installation ceremony yesterday was despite objections by a section of stakeholders across the state.
On the heels a presidency source said President Muhammadu Buhari might not intervene in the crisis currently besetting the Kano Emirate because of its local nature, contrary to expectations. “It’s a local affair,” the source stated.
Nevertheless, Ganduje called on the new monarchs to ensure the development of education and health, as well as security in their respective emirates. He said the new emirates had come to stay, pointing out that the new emirs requested the installation ceremony so that they can use the opportunity to appreciate the House of Assembly, the state government and the people for the honour bestowed on them.
“The four newly appointed First Class traditional rulers requested for this occasion so that they can appreciate Kano State, appreciate the Kano State government for this responsibility that has been given to them,” Ganduje stated at the installation ceremony, which had in attendance Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Kabiru Alhasan Rurum, and other top government officials.
The governor recalled that the new emirs received their appointment letters and staff of office on Friday, adding that their coronation has already been gazetted.
He stated, “If you can recall, yesterday in the morning, the Secretary to the State Government had already signed their letters of appointment and all of them acknowledged that they have received their letters.
“You can also recall that this new law has already been gazzeted by the government printer of Kano State. Therefore, the new traditional rulers requested for this gathering so they can appreciate the Kano State government and the state House of Assembly.”
Ganduje said the new emirate councils needed to be created to attract more development in Kano State.
He added, “The new emirs must keep records of school children who are not in school. They must encourage their subjects to go to hospitals for treatment. They must have interest in agriculture. They must encourage their subjects to go into farming. They should make agriculture priority and their cornerstone.”
Ganduje also directed all District Heads, Village Heads and Ulamas within the areas of jurisdiction of the new emirs to ensure that they pay homage to them on Sunday.
In their separate remarks, the newly installed Emirs thanked Ganduje for the new assignment given to them and promised to work harmoniously with the Emir of Kano, His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II, who is presently the chairman of Kano State Council of Traditional Rulers, to ensure socio-economic development in the state. They appealed to Kano people to continue to support Ganduje in his effort to bring development to every nook and cranny of the state.
The newly installed First Class Emirs are the Emir of Bichi, His Highness, Aminu Ado Bayero; Emir of Rano, His Highness, Tafida Abubakar; Emir of Karaye, His Highness, Ibrahim Abubakar; and Emir of Gaya, His Highness, Ibrahim Abdulkadir.
However, as reservations continued regarding the coronation of the new emirs, the Kano State government declared on Saturday that it was not aware of any court order stopping it from issuing letters of appointment to the four emirs of the newly created emirates in the state.
A Kano High Court sitting at Ungogo had on Friday granted an order restraining Ganduje from implementing any action to legitimise the new emirates of Rano, Bichi, Gaya and Karaye. The presiding Judge, Justice Nasiru Saminu, gave the interim injunction in a suit filed by one Rabiu Sule Gwarzo. Saminu directed all the parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
But in press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Malam Abba Anwar, the government insisted that the letters of appointment were given to the four new emirs before the pronouncement by the court.
According to the statement, “Letters of the Notification of Appointment were written from the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, since Thursday 9th May, 2019 and were dispatched to the concerned Emirs the following day Friday, 10th May, 2019, in the very early hours of the day.
“In letters dated 9th May, 2019, with reference number SSG/REPA/5/A/86/T, to the newly appointed emirs, each letter states that, ‘In accordance with the power conferred on the Governor by the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Amended Law 2019 (1440 AH), which provides the creation of more Emirates, I wish to convey the approval of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, for your appointment as First Class Emir of (Bichi) (Karaye) (Rano) (Gaya) Emirate.’
“While the said court order pronouncement started after 5pm on Friday 10th May, 2019, all the Emirs returned back their acceptance from 10am to 12noon, same day. Hours before the court order pronouncement was made.
“The new Emir of Karaye, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Abubakar II signed his acceptance by 12 noon, Emir of Rano Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Ila, signed his acceptance by 10:15 am, Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, signed his acceptance by 10am and the Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir, signed his letter by 10:30am.
“Today’s event, Saturday 11th May, 2019, planning to take place at Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, Kofar Mata, was just organised to have a symbolic presentation of Notification of Appointment Letters.
“But with the new development, the emirs would only thank the governor during the stadium event, for appointing them and serving them with their appointment letters since Friday morning of 10th May, 2019, through the office of the Secretary to the State Government.”
There was wild jubilation shortly after the ceremony at the Indoor Sports Hall of Sani Abacha Stadium, which was filled to capacity, as people danced and rejoiced to welcome what they termed a new dawn in Kano.
In spite of the intense public sentiments the splitting up of the Kano Emirate Council has generated, Buhari has not spoken on the matter. A source says he is better off steering clear of the issue [VO1] because of its traditional and political undertones.
According to the source, since Ganduje has said by law, Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is meant to relate with his local government chairmen and not the governor, meaning Sanusi’s interaction with the governor is more of privilege than right, the president would not make it any worse by intervening in the matter that is legally beneath him.
The source, who did not see the break-up of the Emirate into five as a move meant to humiliate Sanusi, argued that there was an existing law guiding the emirate and its operations, which clearly stipulates that the Emir relates with the local government chairman in matters concerning the Emirate. He said whatever the case, the president could not intervene because it was not only a local affair, but also one guided by law.
Source: THISDAY
