Ganduje dismisses vendetta accusation in new emirates creation

…Says Emir Sanusi ought to report to LG chairman

…Appoints 4 new Emirs

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

As the controversy surrounding the decentralisation of Kano Emirate following the creation of four new of emirates by the administration of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State deepens, the governor has clarified on why he took the decision and has dismissed insinuations of vendetta against Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamudo Sanusi II.

Gov. Ganduje while speaking to State House correspondents on Friday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Forum Award at the Aso Villa, said the creation of the new emirates is not a vendetta against the reigning emir of Kano as is being insinuated in some quarters.

Ganduje, who insisted that he was not against the emir, noted that “in fact, he is supposed to be reporting to the local government chairman according to the constitution of Nigeria.

“It is the local government chairman that he (Sanusi) is supposed to discuss issues with not the governor.”

The governor said that contrary to reports in the media, the creation of more emirates is appreciated by the people of Kano and his administration would make sure that the new emirate councils are effective in terms of developing the state.

On the accusation that his administration distorted an 800 –year-old history because of personal vendetta, Ganduje said “they are entitled to their own opinion, but we are taking Kano to the next level and we need active participation of the traditional system, especially in the areas of education, security, agriculture; we need the effectiveness of the traditional rulers.

The Daily Times recalls that Kano State House of Assembly had on Wednesday, passed the bill for the creation of four additional first class emirates after it was presented on Monday, adopted the next day before its eventual signing into law on Wednesday by the state governor.

The bill paved the way for the decentralisation of the Kano emirate council.

Defending the actions of the legislators who presented the petition for the creation of new emirates to the assembly, Ganduja said: “We believe the petitioners did it in good faith. And they want the development of the state.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje has appointed four new emirs in the state.

The appointment comes 48 hours after he assented to a bill to split Kano emirate into five.

The new emirs are Aminu Ado Bayero (Bichi), Ibrahim Abdulkadir (Gaya), Tafida Abubakar (Rano), and Ibrahim Abubakar (Karaye).

Ado Bayero is one of the sons of the predecessor of Muhammadu Sanusi, the incumbent emir of Kano.

With the development, Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Alhassan, is now a kingmaker in Rano emirate.

Rurum, who holds the traditional title of Turakin Rano, made the list of four kingmakers in the emirate.

Commissioner for Information in the state, Muhammad Garba, said the new emirs would receive their letters of appointment and staff of office at a ceremony at Sani Abacha Stadium today, May 11.