“I have no hands in Sanusi’s dethronement” – President Buhari dismisses Kwankwaso claims

The Presidency has said President Muhammadu Buhari has no involvement whatsoever in the dethronement of HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II from the position of Emir of Kano.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in a statement issued on Wednesday titled: ‘Leave President Buhari out of the Kano Emirate Issue’, said such insinuations were untrue, malicious and politically motivated.

A former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, while speaking on BBC Hausa programme, said it was President Buhari who asked Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to remove Sanusi.

But the Presidency, in its swift reaction, said it was unfair and disingenuous of opposition politicians to try to link the situation in Kano State to the federal government and the Nigerian President.

The statement read: “The President does not have a history of intervening in the affairs of any state in the country, unless the issue at hand is of national consequence.

“On such matters which impinge on national security, he has a duty of involvement as the law stipulates.

“As outlined in the Constitution, the appointment or removal of emirs and other traditional leaders is strictly within the jurisdiction of state governments.

“Although a retired General and former Military Head of State, President Buhari clearly understands that under the current democratic dispensation, the government at the centre cannot read instructions or twist the arms of all or any of the 36 state governments making up the federation. They all have their powers specified under the Constitution.

“President Buhari, however, lauded the people of Kano for keeping calm in the past few days of the dethronement announcement.

Sanusi was dethroned by the Kano State Government last Monday.

He has since been banished to Awe in Nasarawa State.

His lawyers have vowed to challenge his dethronement in court.

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