Sanusi and Ganduje have had public confrontations and engaged in intellectual brawl over the running of Kano State.
The existing feud between the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje dates back to 2017 before the former’s eventual removal on Monday.
Sanusi and Ganduje have had public confrontations and engaged in intellectual brawl over the running of Kano State.
To reduce the power and influence of Sanusi, Ganduje created four new emirates in the state.
Disregarding an order of the court, Ganduje presented letters of appointment to the four new upgraded emirs and also presented them with staff of office. [story_link align="left"]78726[/story_link]
Sanusi has also had to battle the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission accusing him of laundering millions of naira.
Some governors and highly placed politicians tried unsuccessfully to settle the rift between the two men.
Outlined in this piece is a timeline of major incidents leading to Sanusi’s dethronement on Monday.
April 2017: The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission accused Sanusi II of laundering N6bn. He replied by giving a breakdown of how the palace spent N4bn since he emerged as Emir of Kano.
May 2017: The Kano State House of Assembly set up an eight-man committee to investigate Sanusi II over alleged abuse of office.
May 2019: The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission invited one of the Kano Emirate’s officials, Alhaji Isa Bayero, to explain some payment vouchers bearing his name from 2013 to 2017.
June 2019: The Kano anti-corruption commission recommended the suspension of Sanusi II.
Ganduje queried Sanusi II to explain within 48 hours an alleged misappropriation of N3.4bn by the emirate. Sanusi replied the query, providing how funds were spent since he took over office.
December 2019: After a Kano State High Court dissolved the four new emirates created by Governor Ganduje, the Kano State Executive Council approved a new Emirate Council Bill, 2019, which legalised the establishment of more emirates in the state.
January 2020: The Kano State anti-corruption commission launched a probe of Sanusi II.
February 2020: A Federal High Court in Kano dismissed the preliminary report by the Kano State anti-corruption commission seeking the suspension of Sanusi ll over alleged misappropriation of funds.
March 2020: The Kano Assembly initiated a fresh probe of Sanusi II over alleged misappropriation and violation of norms and culture.
A Federal High Court in Kano also restrained the state’s Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission from investigating Sanusi II.
However, on March 9, 2020, Sanusi was eventually dethroned and sent into exile in Nasarawa State.