JUST IN: Ganduje queries Emir of Kano, demands response within 24 hours

The feud between the governor of Kano State Abdullahi Ganduje
and the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II on Thursday took another
dimension, with the former issuing a query to the latter to respond
to allegations of misappropriation of funds, DAILY NIGERIAN
reports.

The Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaint Commission
on Monday indicted the emir and recommended his suspension.

Confirming the receipt of the query to DAILY NIGERIAN, the chief
of staff to the emir, Munir Sanusi said the state government sought
the response of the emir within 24 hours.

“We received the query today. The state government has demanded
the response of His Highness within 24 hours. The council is
studying the content,” he said.

The drama

The Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II on Wednesday cancelled
Hawan Nassarawa durbar in deference to the directive of the state
governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, seeking cancellation of the
traditional event.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state governor ordered the
cancellation of the durbar, citing security reasons.

In a statement by the acting secretary of the Kano Emirate
Council, the emir accepted the governor’s order, and appealed for
calm.

In view of the cancellation of all the durbars, the emirate
therefore set aside June 7 for a prayer session to mark the 5th
year remembrance of the late emir, Ado Bayero, and 5th year
anniversary of the present emir.

DAILY NIGERIAN reliably gathered that the cancellation may not
be unconnected with estrangement between the governor and the
emir.

The governor and the emir have been at dagger drawn, following
the emir’s alleged support for the opposition Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP candidate, Abba Yusuf, in the last general election.

In order to whittle down the emir’s influence, the governor
created four rival emirates in Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye and
appointed emirs in each emirate.

Although the governor’s action was stopped by the court, the
governor defied the order to issue letters of appointment and
present staff of office to the new emirs.

The charges against the emir

According to the interim report of the anti-corruption agency,
the investigation was in respect of a petition of financial
misappropriation levelled against Kano Emirate Council under the
present emir.

The interim report raised four cardinal issues bordering on
indictments, amount involved, obstruction of investigation and
recommendations.

The report indicated that the Kano Emirate Council had spent
over N1.4 billion in various expenditures believed to be fraudulent
and unappropriated.

In addition, the Emirate Council was alleged to have spent over
N1.9 billion unappropriated on seemingly personal expenditures,
making the total sum of the questionable expenditures.

According to the report, the expenditures contravened the
provisions of Section 120 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 8 of the Kano State
Emirate Council Special Fund Law 2004.

Similarly, the expenditures had also violated Section 314 of
Penal Code as well as provisions of Section 26 of the Kano State
Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as
amended).

“It is also the opinion of this Commission, based on the
available evidence, that Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II continued to
undermine the investigation through various means which include
giving instruction to all officers invited for clarification to
shun the commission’s invitation.

“The act is seriously affecting the process of our statutory
responsibility and offends the provisions of Section 25 of the
Commission’s enabling Law 2008 (as amended),” the report said.

The report, therefore, recommended that the principal suspect in
the person of Muhammadu Sanusi II and all other suspects connected
with the case be suspended, pending the final outcome of the
investigations.

“This is a necessary administrative disciplinary action aimed at
preventing the suspects from further interfering with the
commission’s investigations.

“The commission further recommends that the contract awarded to
Tri-C Nigeria Limited for renovation of Babban Daki, Kofar Kudu and
Gidan Sarki Dorayi should be revoked as the company belongs to one
of the suspects in person of Alhaji Mannir Sanusi, (The Chief of
Staff in the Emirate),” it said.

According to the report, the company failed to settle the
sub-contractor, Cardinal Architecture Ltd, after being duly
paid.

It further recommended that appropriate authority should be put
in place to oversee the affairs of the Emirate Council in line with
established statutes and policies, pending the final outcome of the
commission’s investigations.

It also recommended that further legal action should be taken
against all the suspects as soon as the final outcome of the
investigations were concluded and legal advice accordingly
issued.

Meanwhile, the Emirate Council is yet to react to this fresh
development.

Subscribe ToNairalaw News!