National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said that the return of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano and the several demolitions carried out by the state governor, Engr. Kabir Abba Yusuf, were fulfilment of campaign promises by the party.
Kwankwaso, however, alleged that some persons in Abuja pressured the former Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero into coming to Kano even after he, alongside others, had accepted the dissolution of the five emirates created by the Ganduje government.
Speaking on Prime Time, a political programme on Arise News monitored in Abuja, Kwankwaso, who was presidential candidate of the NNPP in the 2023 general elections, said they have no regrets for fulfilling the promises made during their campaign for which the governor was elected.
He said: “It was a campaign issue. Don’t forget that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was installed in 2014 by our government. My Deputy who became governor decided in his wisdom to divide Kano into five emirates. What many people don’t remember is that it was tried by the Rimi government during the Second Republic.
“It was our position, our belief that Kano should continue as one solid traditional institution. That was what we believed in. So, during our campaign, the governor went round to tell the people that if they voted for him, Kano would return to being one solid traditional institution, of course with support from the other emirates.
“That is why when he was sworn-in, he started a process of consultation. For your information, the emirates that were created by Rimi were dissolved by Sabo Bakinzuwo who took over from him right there at the Race Course where he was sworn in.
“But for one year, the governor carried out due consultations and decided to follow due process through the State House of Assembly and Sanusi was reinstated. People voted for him for several reasons, including making Kano one strong emirate.
“So, we are not just coming from the streets. We have a history. We did not just wake up one day to do that. That is the position of the people of Kano State and we have done what is right and the other four emirs have accepted it and moved out of their palaces.”