Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is sure that President Muhammadu Buhari has a hand in the deposition of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II; but not so for former military leader, General Abdulsalaam Abubakar, who headed a presidential committee to reconcile Governor Abdulahi Umar Ganduje and Ex-emir Sanusi. He is not too sure the President has a hand.
But the President says he has no hand in the whole saga and should not be dragged in.
Kwankwaso made Sanusi emir in 2014, and said in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday, “We believe here in Kano that Buhari interferes where he wishes.
“Kano state government officials have been saying they were directed to dethrone Mr Sanusi ll. Buhari instructed them.”
According to him, Buhari “doesn’t interfere where his intervention is needed, but interferes on issues he is supposed to be neutral about.”
On the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA), Abdulsalami Abubakar, that he is not sure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention in the imbroglio.
His words: “After conclusion of the (Reconciliation Committee) assignment, we realised that there was amicable resolution to the crisis. Surprisingly, this is what happened at last…. Well, I can say so in view of the latest development. In my view, all the committee’s efforts are wasted….
“I can’t really say whether Buhari has a hand in the matter because I am currently not in Nigeria. But before I left the country, we submitted our report to him, and he expressed willingness to intervene in the matter in order to have amicable resolution, despite being a constitutional matter. I really don’t know if he had intervened.”
A Presidency statement says Buhari has no involvement whatsoever in the dethronement.
All such insinuations are untrue, malicious and politically motivated, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu insists.
He adds, “The President does not have a history of intervening in the affairs of any state in the country, unless the issue at hand is of national consequence. On such matters which impinge on national security, he has a duty of involvement as the law stipulates.
“As outlined in the Constitution, the appointment or removal of emirs and other traditional leaders is strictly within the jurisdiction of state governments. It is unfair and disingenuous of opposition politicians to try to link the situation in Kano State to the federal government and the Nigerian President.
“Although a retired General and former Military Head of State, President Buhari clearly understands that under the current democratic dispensation, the government at the centre cannot read instructions or twist the arms of all or any of the 36 state governments making up the federation. They all have their powers specified under the Constitution.
“President Buhari commends the people of Kano for keeping calm in the past few days of the dethronement announcement. He prays that the will of Allah will be done at all times, and that the emirate/state and its people continue to experience progress irrespective of who is on the throne.”