Real reason why Emir Sanusi was dethroned finally revealed

The government of Kano state, northwest Nigeria, Monday announced the dethronement of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II.

Secretary to the State Government, Usman Alhaji, announced this at a State Executive Council meeting.

He said that the Governor Abdullahi Ganduje administration sacked the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor over allegations that the monarch consistently refused to abide by instructions from the government.

“The Kano State Executive Council has unanimously approved the dethronement of the Emir of Kamo Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II at a special sitting held today by the council,” the Director-General, Media and Communications, Kano State Government, Salihu Yakasai, said on his official Twitter handle.

Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission had last week summoned the Emir to respond to a petition accusing him of selling lands belonging to the Kano Emirate to the tune of N2 billion.

But Sanusi secured a restriction order from a court to stop the anti-corruption commission from investigating him.

Ganduje Confirms Getting Request To Dethrone Emir Sanusi
The Kano government had, in December, 2019, confirmed that the governor had received a letter from 35 civil society organisations demanding the immediate dethronement of Emir Sanusi for allegedly disobeying constituted authority.

Ganduje’s spokesperson, Abba Anwar, had said in a statement that the CSOs were concerned that Sanusi was making efforts to create a state within Kano.

Emir Sanusi, Governor Ganduje face-off
Sanusi, who ascended the throne of the Emir of Kano in 2014, after the demise of his granduncle, Ado Bayero, fell out with governor Ganduje in 2019.

There are allegations that Ganduje and the former banker are not on good terms because the Emir supported Abba Kabir-Yusuf – the defeated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

After Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got reelected in 2019, he upgraded four emirate councils to first-class level, thereby whittling Emir Sanusi’s status as the only first-class traditional ruler in the state.

The governor got the backing of the Kano State House of Assembly.