During the worker’s day celebration in Kano State on Monday, outgoing Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje declared that the newly created additional emirates in the state are there to stay and that God will not allow anyone with plans to destroy them to succeed.
Ganduje’s statement came in response to comments by his predecessor and leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, who had expressed intentions to revisit the decision to create the additional emirates made by Ganduje’s administration.
According to Governor Ganduje, the creation of the new emirates was meant to bring about rapid development in the state, and he promised that they would continue to thrive under the incoming administration of Governor-elect Abba Kabir Yusuf.
He said, “Any of you that visits the headquarters of these new emirates will believe me that we have brought development to these places. These emirates were created for unity, progress, and history, and also for the recovery of the reputation of the traditional institutions. We created them to honour the people of these regions.
“I want to assure you that these emirates are permanent, they have come to stay. And anybody that will destroy them, God Almighty will not bring him to Kano state. We assure you that these emirates were created because of you, because of your progress.
“Even if we are not in government, we are praying and we will keep praying for God to protect these emirates from all evils. I thank you all,” Ganduje said.
As a reminder, the former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, recently criticized the dethronement of the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the creation of new emirates in the ancient city of Kano. He claimed that the incoming government of Governor-elect Abba Kabir Yusuf would reconsider the decision made by the outgoing Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s administration.
Sanusi was installed as emir during the final term of Kwankwaso as governor. However, he was dethroned by Governor Ganduje on March 9, 2020, and banished from Kano to Loko, a remote community in Nasarawa State. After several interventions, he was allowed to relocate to Lagos State.
Ganduje also split the emirate into five and appointed emirs who were at par. The government cited Sanusi’s disrespect for lawful instructions from Governor Ganduje and other lawful authorities as the reason for his dethronement.