The lawmaker representing Kano Central Senatorial District, Senator Rabi’u Kwanwaso, has criticised a plan by the state government to create four additional emirates from the present Kano Emirate.
The Kano State House of Assembly at the plenary on Monday began a move to create four emirates following a petition by one Mallam Ibrahim Salisu.
The Speaker of the House, Alhasaan Ruum, read the petition.
There were reports on Tuesday that the move and an investigation of some aides of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, were aimed at whittling down the powers of the traditional ruler and ultimately depose him.
Although to state government denied the allegations, Kwankwaso, who spoke through his media aide, Binta Spikin, in a telephone conversation with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, criticised the plan by the Kano State Government to split the emirate into four.
According to Kwankwaso, only the people of the state, through the state House of Assembly, could demand such.
He also noted that the move could only be made where issues of public concern had been raised against the current structure of the council.
She said, “On the emirate, he (Kwankwaso) does not support the splitting of Kano Emirate it is the heritage of the Kano people. If there should be such a move to split the emirate, the senator is of the opinion that it should come from the people; the people should be the ones who should complain about anything, then the state House of Assembly could take action.
“But, this one is from nowhere in particular because the same people who submitted a petition to the House could not really be identified. Who are those people? They don’t form a fraction of Kano, so they cannot on any grounds speak for the whole of Kano State.”
But on Tuesday, the state Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission summoned an aide of Sanusi for investigation over alleged misappropriation of funds
A letter signed by the agency’s Director of Operations, C. S.P. Suleiman Aliyu Gusau, on behalf of the Executive Chairman, Muhuyi Rimin Gado, invited one Alhaji Isa Bayero an aide to Emir Muhammad Sanusi 11 for interrogation.
The letter directed Bayero to appear at the commission’s conference room by 12 noon on May 9, 2019, over an investigation into an alleged violation of Section 26 of the Commission’s Enabling law on the management of the Kano State Emirate Council’s funds.
The commission had in 2018 launched a probe against the Kano Emir prior to the intervention of the Kano State Assembly, which compelled the commission to suspend the probe.
But the Peoples Democratic Party has advised the Kano State Government to tread with caution the handling of issues that have to do with the Kano Emirate, warning that it should avoid anything that will escalate security problems in the country.
The party said while it would not dabble into the powers of the state or anyone to look into alleged issue of corruption, it however said that those in authority must allow common sense to prevail.
The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, who spoke with one of our correspondents, said, “We are facing security problems all over the country. Bandits have taken over the North-West that is known for peace. We should therefore not do anything that will further polarise Kano, which is the headquarters of commerce in the entire northern region.
“I will appeal to those behind any move that could cause a crisis in the state to allow common sense to prevail. We have enough crises in the land to deal with, and I do not think splitting of the emirate is as important as the killings, hunger, unemployment and other vices that have taken over the country.”
Count Ganduje out of probe — Aide
But the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration has denied allegations that it is involved in the investigation of some Kano Emirate officers.
The state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mallam Mohammed Garba, dismissed the claims that the investigation was targeted at the Emir of Kano with the aim of deposing him.
Garba, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, said the Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led All Progressives Congress administration respected the rule of law.
He stated, “This administration respects the principle of separation of powers and the independence of the three arms of government. We also believe in building public institutions. In line with these principles; which his Excellency swore to uphold, we wish to state that speculations in some quarters that this administration has a hand in the invitation of some officials of the Kano Emirate Council by an anti-graft agency are not only false but also mischievous.
“We implore purveyors of this falsehood and their friends who are also making spurious allegations that this administration is seeking to split the Kano Emirate to desist. His Excellency is focused on completing the remainder of his first term and is looking forward to beginning his second term on May 29, Insha Allah (God willing), in order to consolidate his achievements for the good people of Kano State.
“We appeal to members of the public to disregard the campaign of calumny targeted at this administration by those who do not wish our state well.”
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