Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the Federal Government’s deployment of soldiers in Kano, stating that it undermines the peace and security of the state and violates the 1999 Constitution as amended.
This was contained in a statement posted on his official X handle on Saturday.
According to Atiku, the Kano State House of Assembly and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf followed due process in passing and signing the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024, which repealed the 2019 version that divided the ancient Kano Emirate into five.
The law also reappointed Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano State.
“The action of the Federal Government in deploying soldiers in Kano in the tussle over the throne of the ancient city is an upset to the peace and security of the state,” Atiku said.
“The foregoing circumstances happened within the confines of the law and in compliance with the powers conferred on the Governor as provided by Section 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended; and also in consultation with the Kingmakers of Kano, reappointed Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (also known as Muhammadu Sanusi II) as the 16th Emir of Kano State and accordingly handed him a letter of appointment.
“It is surprising that in the early hours of today, at or about 5:30 am, the former Emir of Kano, His Majesty Aminu Ado Bayero, backed by Federal might, made their way into the Nasarawa Palace of the Kano Emirate while the reappointed Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II was at the Gidan Dabo, which is the main residence of the Emir of Kano,” Atiku stated.
The former VP warned that any attempt to destabilise Kano State’s peace and harmony would be resisted.
“We need to remind the Tinubu administration that Kano State is known for peace and harmony spanning thousands of years, and any attempt to destabilise the peace of the Land of Commerce shall be resisted. Recall that when Muhammadu Sanusi II was dethroned on 9th March 2020, Kano forged on in peace without any fracas.”
Atiku’s statement is in reaction to the deployment of soldiers to the mini-palace of Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero following his dethronement.
The state governor, Abba Yusuf, reinstated Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano on Friday after he was dethroned by the immediate past administration of Abdullahi Ganduje.