The Presidency on Saturday vehemently rejected accusation that it was a collaborator in last Monday’s dethronement of Mallam Sanusi Lamido as Emir of Kano by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
It said suggestions that President Muhammadu Buhari either instigated the emir’s sack or did not intervene to save him were far from the truth.
Among other critics, the immediate past governor of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, claimed that Buhari gave the order to remove the emir, while a former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, said that Sanusi would not have been sacked if the president had intervened.
A highly placed Presidency source faulted both views yesterday.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, recalled how Buhari, in 2017, stopped the first move by Ganduje to depose the former emir.
Said the source: “When the Governor Ganduje’s administration made up its mind to remove Emir Sanusi as far back as 2017, the governor informed President Buhari of this decision. He, however, asked for advice and guidance, President Buhari said it was inappropriate and requested that the plan be shelved.”
Buhari was said to have followed up his verbal position on the planned deposition with a November 17, 2017 letter to Ganduje to put his view in a clearer perspective.
The president further directed his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, to follow up for a peaceful resolution of the crisis of confidence between the two, the source said.
Buhari also set up a committee made up of five state governors led by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State to handle the crisis.
Source