By Ismail Auwal
Former Kano State Governor, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has accused his successor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of indulging in “ litany of lies and shameless misrepresentation of events”.
In a letter signed by his former Principal Private Secretary, Muhammad Inuwa Ali, the former governor also congratulates the former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on the publication of another book that chronicles his eventful and successful public service career as deputy governor, governor, vice president and president.
He, however, expressed a dismay that Ganduje chose such events attended by people of character and goodwill for his show of shame.
“We were therefore, utterly surprised to learn that the globally discredited Governor Ganduje – the shrew among rodents – was chosen as one of the keynote speakers of the public presentation of this book. If not for the colossal standing of HE Goodluck Jonathan, Ganduje’s presence at the event would have affected what is otherwise a fantastic gathering of respectful Nigerians.
“We were therefore not surprised, given Governor Ganduje’s reputation for shamelessness that he attended such an event merely to spread lies and mischief with regards to the coronation and the subsequent illegal dethronement of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sunusi II,” he said.
Continuing, Kwankwaso said, “To set the records straight, the appointment and coronation of Emir of Kano is a consultative process that is guided by law, and Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso as the then Governor of Kano state knows the type of people to consult when it comes to such critical issues that borders on life-long appointments like the successor of the late revered Emir Ado Bayero. Sen Kwankwaso was looking for a progressive emir that will succeed the late emir and certainly everyone that knows Gov. Ganduje will attest that he is not a progressive and hence that was why Sen. Kwankwaso deliberately refused to consult him on the choice of Muhammad Sunusi II as new Emir.”
According to the former senator, the choice of Muhammad Sunusi II was made among other contestants because “he is the most knowledgeable in both Islamic and western education, he is the most experienced and enjoys a tremendous amount of support and goodwill from the kingmakers, the emirate council and indeed the good people of Kano state; this was what informed his appointment.”
He added that one of the glowing tributes paid to the selection and appointment of Emir Sanusi II was made by the then Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Ganduje who on Friday 13th June, 2014 had this to say on a live program on Channels Television and Freedom Radio:
“Sanusi was the best among the candidates to be appointed as Emir of Kano. His wealth of experience as one of the best economist in the world, and his trustworthiness is always his weapon. Remember how he exposed how billion dollars were stolen by some person under President Jonathan administration
I congratulate HE Rabiu Kwankwaso for choosing the right person at a time Kano and Nigeria need people like Sanusi Lamido Sanusi at this position.”
Sen. Kwankwaso argued that It is beyond hypocrisy for Gov. Ganduje to stand on a podium and publicly contradicts himself because of sheer opportunism and malice.
However, “listening to his lies was akin to listening to the braying of a donkey – it irritates you, but you pity the donkey. But we are not surprise,” he said.
“Because we know that Gov. Ganduje is averse to everything that Emir Sanusi II represents (knowledge, wisdom, experience, progressive ideals, and the love for the common man), and we know that Gov. Ganduje always feels diminished and inferior in the presence of the Emir, and we know that Gov Ganduje harbours a pathological hatred for the Kano traditional institution, and we know that Gov. Ganduje was madly obsessed with reversing everything that Sen. Kwankwaso did in the state. And we are aware, for these reasons, Gov. Ganduje was set, ab initio, to destroy the Kano Emirate. And Emir Sanusi II was marked to be the first victim. “
According to him, Emir Sanusi II was abducted and illegally dethroned by Gov. Ganduje and his cohorts because of the Emir’s progressive ideas on various issues that affect the people of the State.
He cited that during the Kaduna State Economic Summit the Emir expressed his professional and unbiased opinion on the plan of Ganduje to collect $1.8 billion loan from China as follows:
“We have governors; they go to China and spend one month on a tour and what do they come back with, MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on debts.”
“China will lend you $1.8billion to build light rail. This light rail will be done by the rail workers from China. The trains will come from China. The engines will come from China. The labour comes from China. The driver is Chinese.
“At the end of the day, what do you benefit from it? Your citizen will ride on a train and when you ride on a train, in northern Nigeria, in a state like Kano, where are you going to? You are not going to an industrial estate to work. You are not going to school? You are not going to the farm. You borrow money from China to invest in trains so that your citizens can ride on them and go for weddings and naming ceremonies.”
Kwankwaso said, “Everyone knows that Gov. Ganduje’s desperation to obtain the $1.8 billion loan and the former Emir’s criticism of the loan is what fuelled the illegal removal of Emir Sanusi II; it had nothing to do with former President Jonathan. It is common knowledge that the Emir was too progressive for Gov. Ganduje’s liking and that was exactly why after his illegal removal and the dismemberment of the Kano Emirate Council, he appointed Emirs that will not question his ill-advised decisions even if they are against the interest of the state and its people.”
The former governor also faulted the new emir’s silence while the governor who also doubles as the commissioner for land and survey is butchering all public properties and grabbing every piece of land for himself and his family.
“It is inconceivable how any right-thinking person will even contemplate destroying and selling places of cultural heritage, mosques premises, cemeteries, school premises, and many such other public places, like the:
900 years old 14km Kano city wall (Ganuwa) which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
Central Eid Ground;
Fagge Juma’at Mosque;
Kano Zoological Garden;
Triumph Publishing Company;
Institute of Hospitality and Tourism of the Kano State University of Science & Technology Wudil;
Kano State Polytechnic Staff Quarters & Old School of Management Studies;
graveyards;
demolishing and selling a multi-story parking lot at Shahuci; and
Numerous public land across the 44 local government councils. “
“ Perhaps, the Governors’ primitive accumulation tendency and his insatiable hunger to be the biggest land-owner in the state is the reason for his refusal to let go the position of commissioner for land in the last four years.”
“We will like to take this opportunity to say that as the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party; we will reverse the sell and allocation of these public properties whenever we have the opportunity to do so.”
The leader of the Kwankwasiyya group said it is imperative to make it categorically clear that Gov. Ganduje is not alone in his journey of ignominy and the wholesale destruction of Kano state through disastrous policies. So, we don’t blame him alone.
In fact, we blame more, those who imposed him on the good people of the state against their legitimate choice.
“The whole world knows that Kano people rejected Ganduje at the polls in spite of the president raising his hand and campaigning for him. Yet Abuja appointed him. Little wonder many people in Kano state called him the governor from Villa.”
“Finally, we will like to use this opportunity to once again pray to the Almighty to save Kano state and indeed the whole country from the present quagmire that we found ourselves.”
