Supporters of Aminu Ado Bayero, the deposed Emir of Kano, on Sunday, staged a protest in the city, demanding that Governor Abba Yusuf abide by a recent court ruling and demanding Bayero’s reinstatement.

The people of Kano welcomed the reinstated Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II, with open arms as he left the city’s main palace.

However, the situation in the city remained unstable.

Riding a royal horse, Sanusi made gestures towards the audience, to which they replied, “You’re the only Emir we know.”

He also met with some district heads, council members, vigilantes, women groups and well-wishers who were at the palace to pay homage.

The development happened as a large group of young protesters marched through the streets of Kano and Gaya, expressing their discontent with the deposition of Bayero.

The demonstrators, carrying placards with messages such as “Abba Kabir Yusuf, Obey Court Order” and “Aminu is still our Emir,” lit bonfires and sang anti-government slogans.

However, the protest remained peaceful, with police officers refraining from dispersing the crowd.

The protesters had gathered after a special prayer session and continued their demonstration along major roads, including the road near the government house.

The protests were sparked by the repeal of the Kano Emirates Council Law by the Kano State House of Assembly last Thursday.

The law, initially enacted in 2019, divided the Kano Emirate into five jurisdictions and led to the dethronement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Governor Yusuf signed the new law on Thursday, dissolving the additional emirates of Rano, Gaya, Karaye, and Bichi, and restoring the traditional Kano Emirate.

Following the repeal, the governor directed the monarchs of the dissolved emirates to hand over to the Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, who oversees the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

It was reported that other dethroned Emirs – Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero (Bichi), Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa (Rano), Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar II (Karaye), and Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulkadir (Gaya), complied with the directive.

They were also said to have vacated their palaces at midnight on Thursday.

However, Bayero who was not around during the incident, returned to the city on Saturday and moved into a palace in the Nassarawa area of the state.

A retinue of soldiers rode with him from the airport to the palace.

On Friday, it was reported that Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court granted an order filed by the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate, Aminu Agundi, stopping the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law which dethroned the five emirs in the state.

But the state government ignored the order and went ahead with Sanusi’s reinstatement even as the governor threatened to report the judge to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for granting the order. He claimed that the judge granted the order while he was in the United States.

Miffed by Bayero’s return to the mini-palace in Nassarawa, the governor ordered the arrest of the deposed monarch but the police authorities said they would enforce the court order.

One of the protesters around Gidan Nassarawa in Kano, Mohammed Idiris, told journalists that all they demanded was the immediate return of Bayero to his throne.

“We are in support of the return of Aminu Ado Bayero back to his seat. We don’t know any other person. He is the man of the people. And that is why we are calling for him to be returned to his seat with immediate effect,’’ he stated.

Also, residents of Gaya on Sunday protested the decision of the state government to dissolve the Gaya Emirate.

The protesters condemned the action of the government and the state House of Assembly.

The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, chanting anti-government songs, and alleged injustice, saying the dissolution of the emirate had political undertones.

However, a non-governmental organisation, Arewa Social Contract Initiatives, advised the Bayero to vacate the ancient city in the spirit of peace and stability.

The group, which summoned an emergency meeting of its members in the 19 northern states, said the sudden return of the dethroned emir ‘’was cooked to ignite serious civil unrest in the city.’’

• Group Faults Bayero

The National Chairman of the group, Sani Darma, in a communiqué after the meeting on Sunday in Kano, noted that “Aminu Ado Bayero’s actions have negated the tradition of the Emirate Council which he belongs to.”

He reminded Bayero that history would never be kind to him if he acted as the source of uncertainty and chaos which might consume many lives in the state.

He said, “Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the dethroned Emir of Kano, should remember that the same person he is challenging today vacated the same seat for him and even disappeared far away from Kano, but he accepted what happened in good faith without causing any uproar. Why are you not replicating his actions?”

Darma further advised Bayero to borrow a leaf from his siblings and even his very close brother, the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero, who quietly left Kano without doing anything that could jeopardise public peace.

“Look at the Emir of Bichi and other emirs; nobody heard anything from them. They respectfully left and vacated their thrones without causing any havoc. That is a clear love for Kano,” he said.

“We are totally against the ill-advised actions of the dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. We strongly advise him to, as a matter of urgency, relocate and if he has any reservations of what had happened, he should channel it appropriately from wherever he is, but not Kano,” the group counselled the aggrieved former monarch.

It reminded the deposed emir that when Yusuf was campaigning he had promised the people that if elected, he would change the Kano emirates to its former status as a single emirate.

“And here is the governor fulfilling his campaign promises; No wonder Kano people are so calm and happy with the development. As you move around,  one will see nothing has changed.  People are happily going about their normal businesses.

“Somebody cannot sit in Abuja or wherever and decide the fate of Kano. The fact that Kano, with its attendant volatility, remained peaceful and calm, clearly shows that Emir Sanusi is being accepted wholly.

“For this, we are advising Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero not to buy the idea of plunging Kano into chaos. His actions right now show that he is harbouring a personal desire at the detriment of Kano peace and stability,” Darma alleged.

In the meantime, the Northern Youth Assembly has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to be wary of some people in his government planning anarchy in Kano State.

The letter was also copied to the United Nations Office, Abuja, the  European Union Mission, ECOWAS, the United States Embassy, the British High Commission, the US Congress and the European Union.

The letter, signed by Dr Ali Idris, President and Dr Garba Abdulhafiz, Secretary General, dated May 25, 2024, said the change in the emirate law in Kano State was a product of the law passed by the state house of assembly, noting that any attempt to subvert it by Abuja would result in chaos.

• Youths Write Tinubu

It read, “The leadership of the Northern Youth Assembly (Majalisar Matasan Arewa), on behalf of its chapters in the 19 northern states and Abuja, has, at the moment found it compelling to draw your attention, as a democratically elected President, in the country, through a constitutionally prescribed process, with defined powers and privileges, regarding the recent development on Kano Emirate.

“It is common knowledge that Nigeria as a country that practises federalism has a constitution which prescribes the powers for the central government as well as the sub-national government which equally represents the lawfully recognized federating units.

“Sir, as part of the powers provided by the Nigerian constitution of exercising legislative authority by the state assemblies at the sub-national level, is to make laws for the betterment and welfare of their states as well as their citizens.

“The process to exercise this constitutional right may include: making new laws, amending the existing laws and repealing the existing laws.

“The Kano State House of Assembly, in 2019, exercised such powers by amending the Kano State Emirate Councils Laws and created four additional emirates, and the law was subsequently assented by the then Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

“The current Kano State House of Assembly equally exercised such legislative powers by repealing the same law and dissolved the newly created four additional emirates in the state, and the executive Governor of Kano State, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, equally assented to the new repealed law.”

The youth stated that each of the two assemblies performed their constitutional and legislative functions, as they deemed fit.

They alleged that there was an evil plot allegedly designed by some officials of the Tinubu government to violently and forcefully impose Bayero on the people of Kano using the Federal Government security apparatus, under the pretext of complying with a court order granted by a federal judge   “at a time when he was far away in the United States on a holiday.’’

The letter added,  “This is nothing but a broad daylight encroachment on the constitutional democratic practices, undermining the authorities of the sub-national and federating units, and a clear interference in the exercise of their constitutional powers.

“This ugly development is not only an embarrassment to your Government, but your personality as someone who has always portrayed himself as a democrat.

“Our fear is your government and its appointees may be seen as people who do not have respect for democratic governance, practices and constitutional authority.

“We wish to draw your attention at this juncture that Kano has been peaceful, and any attempt to disrupt the peace in the state by heeding to the interest of some few selfish and greedy people against the wishes of over 20 million people of Kano may lead to chaos and anarchy and is likely to portray your government in the bad light,” the youth added.

Displeased by the crisis, the Northern Traditional Ruling Council, chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, has expressed concern about the ongoing emirship tussle in Kano State.

In a statement on Sunday by the Emir of Gummi, Justice Lawal Gummi,   who is the Chairman of the Coordinating Committee Northern Traditional Rulers Council, the monarchs called for restraint on the part of the disputants in the interest of peace and stability.

In another development, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has threatened to file a defamation suit against Kano State deputy governor, Aminu Gwarzo.

Gwarzo had alleged that Ribadu facilitated the return of Bayero to Kano, by providing him with a private jet.

• Ribadu Writes Gwarzo

But in a letter to Gwarzo, Ribadu’s solicitors, Aliyu & Musa Chambers, demanded an apology from the deputy governor.

The letter read in part, “The attention of our client was drawn to a video clip being shared on different social media platforms wherein you granted an interview at Emir’s Palace in Kano on Saturday, the 25th day of May 2024, in a very calm atmosphere, and without any provocation whatsoever, falsely accusing our client of using his office to kill the people of Kano State and maim their properties.

“In the clip, you were shown to be speaking in Hausa. Your false accusations against our client portraying his office as an appendage of a political party and a willing tool to cause chaos in Kano is false and done with the intention of damaging the hard-earned reputation of our client in the eyes of the right-thinking members of the society and indeed it has succeeded in doing so.

“In all the places he has served, our client has never been accused of any wrongdoing. Given this illustrious background, it is inconceivable that someone would harbour the thought that our client would descend his exalted office so low as to interfere in the local tussle of the Kano Emirate.

“The wide coverage you gave your interview has caused serious embarrassment to our client and his family.

“Since the publication, our client has been receiving a barrage of telephone calls both within and outside Nigeria from friends and associates who felt disappointed in him because of the false allegation owing to the fact that it came from a person occupying the office of Deputy Governor of Kano State.

“Our client and his office take your allegations seriously and by this letter, our client is demanding that you provide irrefutable evidence to substantiate your claims. If you have no proof, our client demands you to within 24 hours retract the libellous allegation in a similar manner you made it as well as give it wide media circulation and issue a public apology in five national dailies with wide national coverage and on popular online platforms. Note that if you fail to do so, our client will be compelled to seek redress in a court of law.”

Credit: The Punch

Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has reacted to the likelihood of a merger between the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obi, in an interview on NoireTV-GlobalBlackTV released on YouTube on Saturday, also addressed the prospect of being supported as a Southeast candidate in the 2027 presidential election by Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s 2023 flagbearer.

Responding to the interviewer’s question, Obi expressed gratitude for Abubakar’s statement about potentially supporting him as a result of the South-East candidate. “I commend him and I’m grateful for his statements, especially where he said he will support me if it (the presidential ticket) goes to the South East,” Obi said.

However, Obi emphasised that his primary concern is not personal ambition or political maneuvering, but rather the well-being of Nigeria and its people. “I’m not desperate to be president, I’m desperate to see Nigeria work, especially for the poor people because we have a lot of potential,” he stated.

On the subject of a potential merger between the PDP and LP, Obi expressed openness to the idea, provided that the goal is to better govern Nigeria and unlock its vast potential. “If the merger is to be able to govern Nigeria properly, unlock all those things that will make Nigeria a better place, I’m for it,” he said.

Obi clarified that he has no interest in mergers or alliances solely to secure power or win elections.

“If it’s just a merger for election or state capture, I’m not for it or part of it, I don’t want to be part of anything like that,” he asserted.

The former Anambra State governor stressed the importance of unity and cooperation among individuals and parties, but only if the objective is to build a better Nigeria.

He said, “It might be at the party level, it might be at the individual level, might be at any level, but we must come together to be able to build a better Nigeria.”

Nigeria’s Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has condemned the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over poor implementation of the removal of subsidy from petroleum products as well as the floating naira.

Obasanjo said though the policies were necessary, they were wrongly implemented.

Obasanjo, according to a statement made available to journalists on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, also condemned Nigeria’s approach to the coup in the Republic of Niger.

He was said to have spoken in Abuja at the weekend at a  colloquium tagged: “Nigeria’s Development: Navigating the Way Out of the Current Economic Crisis and Insecurity.”

The ex-president said, “Today, the government has taken three decisions, two of which are necessary but wrongly implemented and have led to the impoverisation of the economy and of Nigerians. These are the removal of subsidy, closing the gap between the black market and official rates of exchange and the third is dealing with a military coup in Niger Republic.

“The way forward is production and productivity which belief and trust in government leadership will engender. No shortcut to economic progress but hard work and sweat.

“The economy does not obey orders, not even military orders. I know that. If we get it right, in two years, we will begin to see the light beyond the tunnel. It requires a change of characteristics, attributes, and attitude by the leadership at all levels to gain the confidence and trust of investors who have alternatives.”

Obasanjo added that the government must do more to attract foreign investments. He said, “Total Energy has gone to invest $6bn in Angola instead of Nigeria. If the truth must be stated, the present administration has not found the right way to handle the economy to engender confidence and trust for investors to start trooping in.

“They know us more than we know ourselves. And now they are laughing at us, not taking us seriously. We have to present ourselves in such a way that we will be taken seriously. If the existing investors are disinvesting and going out of our country, how do we persuade new investors to rush in?

“We can be serious if we choose to be but we need to change from transactional leadership in government to transformational and genuine servant leadership.

“With change by us, the investors will give us benefit of doubt, and security being taken care of on a sustainable long-term basis, they will start to test the water.

“ With the right economic policies, attribute of integrity and honesty of purpose, all should be well with all hands on deck and government becomes a catalyst for development, growth and progress.

To conclude on the economy, “tinkering with the exchange rate is not the answer. The answer is consistency and continuity in policy to ensure stability and predictability. That way, we will be sure to incentivize domestic and foreign investment.

“There must be honesty and transparency in government dealings and contracts and not lying with deception about these issues. When the government is seen as pursuing the right policy, the private sector will go for production and productivity.”

“Change is possible but it must begin with the leadership”.

The former President’s reaction to the refinery issue was coming barely six months after the claim that the refinery would begin operation in January.

He noted that to get out of the current situation of the country, the government and the governed needed to look at the past and the present, and ask: How do we get here?

“Looking at the topic of today’s occasion, the question I would ask is, how do we navigate our way out of these crises and pave the path towards a more secure and prosperous Nigeria? I believe the answer to this requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses the root causes of these challenges. The central questions are: where were we? And how did we get to where we are today?

According to Obasanjo: “Firstly, we must know where we are coming from. Our economy has consistently suffered from poor policies, lack of long-term sustainable policies, discontinuity, adhocry, and corruption firmed on personal greed, avarice, incompetence, lack of knowledge and understanding, and lack of patriotism.

“For instance, the statement and proposed actions given forty-five years ago to stop fuel scarcity is the same statement and action being touted today. I recall when I made the statement that the refineries would not work, the sycophants and spin doctors of this current administration went out to castigate me as not being a petroleum engineer and that I did not know what I was talking about.

“They forgot that the attempt that was made in 2007 to partly privatise the refineries was made by me after a thorough study of the situation. But the decision was reversed by my successor and the 750 million dollars paid was refunded.”

On a way out, the former President said the country needed “a 25-year socio-economic development agenda that will be generally agreed to, by the nation of all political parties and passed into law by the National Assembly with State Assembly aspects also passed into law by the State Houses of Assembly. We take up the implementation on a five-year basis. In reality, that plan will have the effect of almost a Constitution. The first priority in the implementation will be education for all.”

On the security, he said, “We need a stick-and-carrot approach. Stick to deal with those who cannot be weaned out of criminality and evil deeds and for those weaned, they should be rehabilitated.

“There should be no Nigerian without being in school compulsorily for eleven years – secondary education level.

“Employment must be a right for all Nigerians from age 18 years to 65 years.

“With such a carrot in position, the stick must then be made more severe for criminals. Five years must be set out to ensure that every Nigerian child that is not in school is in school and no one is left out of popular education”.