- He Was Dethroned To Save Kano Traditional Stool From Abuse
- Sanusi Was Not The Best Man For The Throne, But Appointed To Spite Jonathan
- Jonathan’s Medicine Was Good For Sanusi’s Disease
By Sameer S.C. Yusuf
Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has finally opened up on the dethronement removal of Sanusi Lamdo Sanusi, the former Emir of the ancient Kano emirate, saying that, “the removal of the former Monarch became necessary to, among other reasons, save the traditional stool of their forefathers from gross abuse by the former Emir.”
Citing other reasons for the dethronement of the former Emir, Governor Ganduje said Sanusi was not the best man for the stool at that time, therefore, he had to give way for the best and rightful heir to the stool.
Ganduje stressed that “another reason that made it necessary for us to remove him was that his appointment was not made in good faith. It was done to purposely spite former President Jonathan who removed him as Governor of the Central Bank shortly before the demise of the former Emir, Late Ado Bayero. “His appointment was meant to ridicule President Jonathan and serve as revenge to the act of the former president.” Gov. Ganduje stressed.
The governor, having discovered the real man Sanusi was, decided to tow the path of the former President by taking the same decision to remove Sanusi as Emir in order to save the system and the traditional institution from abuse.
Jonathan had in April 2014 removed Sanusi as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over claims by the ex-CBN governor that $49 billion was stolen by some persons under the Jonathan administration.
Speaking at the presentation of a book on former President Goodluck Jonathan, authored by a journalist, Mr. Bonaventure Melah, Ganduje Faulted Sanusi’s public outburst over the alleged fraud, which he said the ex-CBN governor ought to have discussed the matter privately with the former president who in turn could have directed an investigation into the allegation.
Ganduje said Jonathan took a bold step by removing Sanusi as CBN governor even though the action created bad blood in certain circles.
“When Sanusi said $49 billion was lost in Jonathan’s government, I said in my mind that no, you could have discussed with him (Jonathan) privately,” Ganduje said.
“You could have given him this clue and then he would know how to investigate even before those who had stolen the money would find a way of hiding the money,” he added.
Sounding derisively jocular, Ganduje said: “Sanusi was appointed Emir of Kano not because he was the best man for the throne but to retaliate what Jonathan did to him. That was in order to prove that what Jonathan did to him was wrong and that the people of Kano wanted their son as emir and, therefore, they decided to appoint him as Emir.”
However, the whole world saw what happened when he was appointed against the wish of the people and the traditional institution. There were a lot of demonstrations with people burning tyres here and there. But because of government backing, he was sustained on the stool.
That was why when I became governor, I said yes, Jonathan medicine is an important medicine. “That medicine, even though I am not a medical doctor, but that medicine would serve the same purpose, for the same disease and for the same patient.” Ganduje said, stressing that “So I applied Jonathan’s medicine and decided to save the system, to save the institution and I applied it effectively. So Jonathan and I are on the same page. Actually, I have no regrets,” he boasted.
It would be recalled that On March 9th, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, through a unanimous vote of the Kano State House of Assembly and the Executive Council, dethroned Lamido Sanusi and escorted him under tight security to far away Loko and then later banished to Awe, all in Nasarawa state.
He was replaced with Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, one of the popular and beloved son of the late Emir Ado Bayero who died in office in 2014.