Are we about to see the former central banker, and general irritation to those in power, return to his customary dictator position?
Muhammad Sanusi II, who was dethroned as Emir of Kano in northwest Nigeria in 2020, is on the verge of being reinstated after Kano’s parliament approved a measure to repeal the law that resulted in his expulsion.
On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the Kano State House of Assembly voted to modify the 2019 statute that removed Sanusi.
The Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law was passed in 2019 by the Governor Abdullahi Ganduje government, following a public disagreement with the emir.
After the ordinance was approved in 2019, Sanusi’s Kano emirate was divided into five to limit his power. He was later deposed and replaced by his cousin, Aminu Ado Bayero.
Five years later, however, the Kano parliament, now controlled by the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), agreed to change the law when Majority Leader Hussien Dala moved the resolution during plenary.
“The necessity to reexamine the Emirs Law has become critical to address the challenges raised by the 2019 amendment. “We must ensure that our traditional institutions are governed by fair and just laws,” Dala stated.
Jibril Isma’il Falgore, Speaker of the Kano House of Assembly, has committed to guarantee that the amendment process follows due procedure and is transparent. “
We are committed to a fair and transparent amending process. “All stakeholders will have the opportunity to contribute to the discussions,” he stated.
Outspoken Central Banker Sanusi, who was known as Lamido Sanusi Lamido until ascending to the throne in 2014, served as the governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank before being ousted by President Goodluck Jonathan in February of that year.
The outspoken economist, now known by the holy title Khalifa Sanusi II, is a spiritual leader in Nigeria’s Tijaniyyah Sufi Order. Read more. Nigeria’s activist king, Lamido Sanusi, spoke truth to authority.
Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, Kano politics’ godfather and a political rival of Ganduje, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, is advocating for Sanusi’s return. Kwankwaso indicated last year that the law under which Sanusi was removed would be reconsidered.
However, insiders believe Ganduje remains hostile to the proposal to reinstall Sanusi and is expected to utilise his relationship with President Bola Tinubu to scuttle his return.
Kano, one of the most dangerous states in the north, has the most votes in the country.