Prominent northern elders under the aegis of Friends of Democracy have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to step in on the creation of additional four emirates by the Kano state government. Leadership reports that the group also called on Governor Umar Ganduje to embark on more consultations to resolve the issue that led to the development.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 15, the group noted that if care is not taken, the issue may lead to breakdown of law and order. READ ALSO: Alleged coup: Buhari plotting to jail me – Atiku raises serious allegation The elders who comprise Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, Dr. Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, Mallam Bilya Bala, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Mr. Hubert Shaiyen, and Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim also called on the Kano state government to reconvene and do the needful by holding public hearings on the matter.
The group asked President Buhari to use his “good offices to appeal to the authorities of Kano State to speedily engage on the reversal process. It should be noted that a minor eruption of violence from Kano can easily conflagrate the region and possibly, the country. People are angry at various levels and for various reasons, and some may use this as an opportunity to vent their anger. The federal government and, particularly V7, the Presidency should treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves.” The elders noted that the “development, Kano State has lost its status as one of only two states in Nigeria with one emirate or traditional council as Sokoto, the seat of the Sultan of Sokoto, is the other state with a similar arrangement.”
The group noted that an issue of such magnitude should have first been subjected to consultation as it could lead to breakdown in law and order. According to them, “the people should have been consulted on whether they wanted a restructuring of their emirate. We note for example that citizens in Wudil after a stakeholders’ meeting on Sunday have expressed their opposition to the restructuring policy and appealed to the state government to return them to the old Kano Emirate where they rightly belong.” The Tofa-led group observed that the current arrangement is not backed by historical antecedents.
The statement reads in part: “A court of competent jurisdiction has directed that the process of restructuration should discontinue until a decision is reached on the substantive case. All parties should comply with the rule of law and stay action while reflecting on the way forward. “That the Kano State House of Assembly reconvenes immediately to trigger the legislative process of holding public hearings in the overarching interest of peace. “That the Kano State government harken to the voices of moderation by closely working with the House of Assembly, traditional rulers and elders in having a rethink.”
Source: Legit.Ng
