Gov Bala offers to intervene in Ganduje, Sanusi rift

By Samuel Luka,Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has promised to personally lead a team to Kano state to meet with both Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi 11 in order to intervene in the crisis between the duo.

The governor made the promise when he received a delegation from the emir of Kano, who paid him a congratulatory visit at the Presidential Lodge in Bauchi.

He said that “by God’s grace, in my capacity as the younger brother of the Kano state governor, I will try my best to see that he is reconciled with the emir”.

“Gov. Ganduje is my elder brother. I worked with him in the FCT and I know him as a complete Fulani man. By God’s grace, I will lead an entourage to go and meet with him and also meet with the emir of Kano so that peace will be restored.

“I pray that God will quench this inferno which is trouble and disaster to the northern people.”

The governor condemned the crisis between the Kano state governor and the emir of Kano which according to him, has led to the splitting of the emirate.

Bala, who expressed sympathy with the ordeals of the emir, described the Kano Emirate as the heartbeat of the north which ought not to suffer the shame and humiliation it is experiencing.

While describing Kano and Bauchi states as brothers and sisters who share several years of relationship and trade, Gov. Bala stated that most residents of the northern part of Bauchi state are from Kano, especially residents of Katagum Local Government Area.

“We on our own part see Kano as the heartbeat of the north not because of anything, but because it is where we are always proud of when we go out of Nigeria. Every northerner sees Kano as a place to be proud of and also a place the world knows when it comes to the traditional institutions.

“Today, the monarchy in England, Japan, Spain and everywhere do not know any traditional institution on the African continent like that of Kano. Kano is our interface with the Arab world, Europe and everywhere. And because of that, we are sad to see that it is being disgraced, humiliated and broken into parts,” the governor added.

He maintained that “politics hasn’t gotten to the point where the Kano Emirate should be touched because it is the pride of the north. Although, I don’t know what happened between the governor and the emir, but in my capacity as Kauran Bauchi and the son of the Galadima of Duguri, what I know how to do is to tell the truth.”

The Bauchi state governor who said he cannot blame anyone for all that is happening, advised politicians to stay away from tempering with tradition by bringing it into politics.

“And you, the traditional rulers, try not to bring tradition into politics; this brings humiliation. But, honestly, if there is an offence, whoever committed the offence, Kano (Emirate) ought not to be tempered with because it is like a no-go area.

“Tell the emir that the people and the government of Bauchi state and the two major political parties here, the APC and the PDP are all with him, we sympathize with him over what has been happening to him,” he said.

Leader of the delegation, Sarki Ibrahim, who is the Makaman Kano, had earlier told the governor that the Emir Muhammad Sanusi ll, sent them with a congratulatory message and to wish him well in his tenure as governor of Bauchi state.

Ibrahim said that “since your inauguration, he has not come to congratulate him, so he sent us as an advanced party to come and rejoice with you, to pray for you and wish you well for this victory that God has given you.

“His royal highness also said we should remind you to put to use the experiences you gathered during your tenure as FCT minister so that you can transform Bauchi and deliver dividends of democracy to the people.”