• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Ad Rates
  • Submit News
  • Contact Us
The Eagle Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Politics
  • Column
  • Business
  • Life & Style
    • Crime
    • R&D Health
    • Diet and Fitness
    • Intimacy
  • Entertainment
    • Photos
    • Fashion
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Politics
  • Column
  • Business
  • Life & Style
    • Crime
    • R&D Health
    • Diet and Fitness
    • Intimacy
  • Entertainment
    • Photos
    • Fashion
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Eagle Online
No Result
View All Result

Kano Emirate crisis is Buhari’s baby, by SKC Ogbonnia

The Eagle Online by The Eagle Online
May 16, 2019
in Column
4 min read
0
How Buhari is becoming a liability to APC on corruption, by SKC Ogbonnia
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterWhatsApp

RelatedPosts

Buhari to Nigerians at Ramadan: Be generous to the poor, reject divisive voices

How COVID-19 opened up immense talents of Nigerian scientists, by Buhari

God is not happy with Buhari, says Archbishop as he protests with coffin on his head

The mess bedeviling the Kano Emirate Council is President Muhammadu Buhari’s baby. It stinks like a skunk, but he ought to own it. The crisis has tap roots in Buhari’s growing twin evil of selective justice and vendetta politics that have emboldened his allies to victimise perceived political opponents with impunity.

The crisis is a long time coming. It is a clear case of shrewd gerrymandering designed to diminish the influence of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. A unique kind of king, Sanusi is a voluble and charismatic figure, who is globally celebrated as a maverick anti-corruption advocate. He is also well-known for speaking truth to power and has never shied away from criticising any government, where necessary. The problem, however, is that his criticism of Buhari has been eloquently potent and goes far and wide. But Buhari’s sees opposing views as provocation for war and does repay in kind. Yet, the president equally goes above and beyond to protect his allies and protégés, without minding their character or image.

This pattern of selective justice and vendetta politics was exemplified by Buhari’s apparent shenanigans in the most dramatic bribery incident in the recent Nigerian memory. The central character was the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, the same man babysitting the emirate mess. Lest we forget, Ganduje was caught on camera allegedly receiving bribes in multiple billions of naira. The evidence was overwhelming. The witnesses did not bulge. The whole scene provoked worldwide outrage, as well as mockery for the war against corruption under Buhari. And the situation demanded action from both the state and federal levels.

Very stunningly, instead of condemning the incident, President Muhammadu Buhari shocked the world by showering massive encomiums on the rogue governor. This action or inaction by a sitting president represents the shameless juncture where the evil trajectory in Kano took a dramatic rise. Even the Kano State House of Assembly, which had commenced investigation of the governor, as required by the law, read Buhari’s body language and quickly swept the bribery case under the carpet. There was no apology, no sign of compunction, not even feigned sincerity from Governor Ganduje, or any form of rebuke from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). The national anti-corruption agency also looked the other way. The conclusive testament is that, when there are no consequences for bad behaviour, the bad behaviour usually worsens.

It did not take long before the Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, landed in Kano to pass a vote of confidence on Ganduje, to the chagrin of the Nigerian masses. Only in Nigeria! Only in Nigeria!!…Ganduje’s re-nomination for a second term in office would become a mere formality. The optics was abject impunity and did not sit well with Nigerians, particularly the progressive elements in Kano, led by Emir Sanusi. But the character of Kano electorate has been nonconformist from ages. They vote their conscience, power of incumbency notwithstanding.

Come election day, though President Buhari recorded massive victory in the state two weeks earlier on merit, Governor Ganduje lost to a political greenhorn, Abba Kabir-Yusuf, who happens to the son-in-law of a former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso. Ironically, Kwankwaso is a close ally of Emir Sanusi, but a fierce foe of both Ganduje and Buhari. Be that as it may, Emir Sanusi was blamed for Ganduje’s electoral woes. But the governorship election would be declared inconclusive. It took a combination of uncommon electoral manoeuvre and police intimidation to overturn the original outcome. The general view in Kano remains that Ganduje’s “inclusive” victory is a broad daylight robbery. The case had gone to the courts. The governor may serve out his 4 year-second term, but there is worry about life after, especially considering that re-opening of the bribery case depends on who takes over from him. Yet, Ganduje’s electoral humiliation, as well as future obstacles, point to one man: The Emir of Kano, whose influence bestrides the entire state and beyond.

In simple terms, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is facing a political double whammy: one from his state governor and the other from the president of the country. Though Buhari’s side of the equation is understandably more intense, fronting Ganduje to tame the emir offered a nebulous compromise.

Therefore, the splitting of the Kano Emirate Council by Governor Ganduje has nothing to do with development or the common good. While the traditional institution remains a worthwhile societal phenomenon, it is not ennobling where balkanised and basterdised. If fragmentation of kingdoms is a panacea to development, Great Britain would have more kings than Kano. This goes without saying that the balkanisation of Kano emirate council is a brazen political witch-hunt, and the goal is two-fold. First, by rubbishing the influence of Sanusi, Ganduje hopes to ride on the cocktails of the “Ganduje Emirs” to dictate the complexion of the State House of Assembly and who becomes governor—after his tenure. Second, and more significantly, it serves to cow the emir from the bigger issue of his goring criticisms of President Buhari.

Many have argued that the royal and religious fathers should not dabble into partisan politics. But that is another idle talk. Societal status must not always deny people the freedom of speech, especially where expressed for the greater good. Moreover, there is the need sometimes to resist the temptation of allowing sycophancy or hypocrisy to breed selective amnesia into national political discourse. It is a common knowledge that, before his ascension to the throne in 2014, the same Sanusi, as the Governor of Central Bank, was hailed within the then opposition ranks for busting the pandora box that contributed to the downfall of President Goodluck Jonathan. As Emir, Sanusi equally did not hide his sympathy for Buhari’s opposition candidacy in 2015. Ditto for the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, who openly endorsed Buhari in both 2015 and 2019 elections and is always in the news attacking the perceived political foes of Buhari. Needless to mention Catholic Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka whose fervent support for the president is legendary.

The Kano Emirate crisis portends a troubling future. It is Kano today. But it can be any other Nigerian kingdom tomorrow. Unless President Buhari is crisis-happy, he should hasten and call Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to order. The swirling notion that the emirate crisis is a state matter is pure baloney. And stoic silence ought to be viewed as Buhari’s acquiescence to the quandary.

. Ogbonnia, a former 2019 APC presidential aspirant, is the author of Effective Leadership Formula.

Tags: Abdullahi GandujeEmir of KanoKano StateMuhammadu BuhariMuhammadu Sanusi IISKC Ogbonnia
Share28Tweet18SendShare7

Related Posts

Plateau United management imposes ‘No result, no pay’ rule on players, officials after home loss

Buhari to Nigerians at Ramadan: Be generous to the poor, reject divisive voices

April 13, 2021
Plateau United management imposes ‘No result, no pay’ rule on players, officials after home loss

How COVID-19 opened up immense talents of Nigerian scientists, by Buhari

April 12, 2021
God is not happy with Buhari, says Archbishop as he protests with coffin on his head

God is not happy with Buhari, says Archbishop as he protests with coffin on his head

April 12, 2021
Shekarau inaugurates 1.5km road project in Kano

Community Policing: 704 Constabularies complete training in Kano

April 12, 2021
Breaking: Cross River APC can’t present candidates for Saturday’s polls – INEC

Edo APC hails Buhari over board appointments

April 11, 2021
Kaduna Emir dies, Buhari condoles with Government, others

Kaduna Emir dies, Buhari condoles with Government, others

April 10, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.




COVID-19 Update

UN COVID-19 Basket Fund financed 40% of medical supplies to Nigeria – Kallon

COVID-19 vaccine: Top journalists list ways to get Nigerians’ buy-in

Church donates food items to needy Muslims for Ramadan

Perez voted in for sixth term as president of Real Madrid

COVID-19: NCDC announces new cases, total now 163,837

Most Read

  • Gunmen kill policeman  accompanying election results in Ogun

    FG warns of planned attacks in six airports

    238 shares
    Share 95 Tweet 60
  • Boko Haram recaptures Borno LGA, kills scores

    206 shares
    Share 82 Tweet 52
  • Nigerian actress dies at 39 in Abuja hospital

    186 shares
    Share 74 Tweet 47
  • Adeboye, El-Rufai meet days after release of kidnapped RCCG members

    164 shares
    Share 66 Tweet 41
  • Insecurity: Victory around the corner — Pastor Adeboye

    147 shares
    Share 59 Tweet 37
  • Police reject N500,000 bribe, arrest suspects with stolen construction materials

    143 shares
    Share 57 Tweet 36

Ease Slash

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.




https://theeagleonline.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/VID-20200510-WA0000.mp4

Chat with us now

Most Commented

  • Uzodinma commends Shell’s promotion of community contractors for infrastructure projects

    Uzodinma commends Shell’s promotion of community contractors for infrastructure projects

    71 shares
    Share 28 Tweet 18
  • NIRSAL debunks corruption allegation over handling of ABP, threatens litigation

    119 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30

Latest

Traditional institutions, integral part of government — AbdulRazaq

Aviation College: Kwara gov seeks new beginning with Nigerian Navy

April 14, 2021
Senate threatens to sanction CBN, NPA, NCC, NIMASA, others

Senate wants NEMA to provide relief to windstorm victims in Benue

April 14, 2021
Amotekun won’t be subject to federal control- Makinde

We are working to make HIV services available to all – Makinde

April 14, 2021
Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in US prison

Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in US prison

April 14, 2021
Ship pollution: NIMASA to ensure availability of sulphur compliant fuel

Ship pollution: NIMASA to ensure availability of sulphur compliant fuel

April 14, 2021




  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Politics
  • Column
  • Business
  • Life & Style
  • Entertainment
  • Advert Rates
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Premium Eagle Media Limited.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Politics
  • Column
  • Business
  • Life & Style
    • Crime
    • R&D Health
    • Diet and Fitness
    • Intimacy
  • Entertainment
    • Photos
    • Fashion
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Advert Rates
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Premium Eagle Media Limited.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.