Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje on Tuesday said dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi was appointed emir in 2014 to spite former President Goodluck Jonathan who sacked him as CBN governor.
He said he took the decision to sack Sanusi in March 2020 to save the traditional institution from abuse.
The governor, who spoke at the presentation of a book on former President Goodluck Johnathan, authored by a journalist, Bonaventure Philips Melah, in Abuja, said Jonathan took a bold step in sacking Sanusi as CBN Governor, which created bad blood in certain circles.
He said when Sanusi said $49 billion was lost in Jonathan’s government, he said in in his mind that he (Sanusi) could have discussed with him (Jonathan) privately.
“You could have given him this clue and then he would know how to investigate even before those who had stolen the money would find a way of hiding the money. That statement, I said in my mind was not honourable. That statement created bad blood,” he said.
Two months after Sanusi was sacked as CBN governor, former governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso appointed him as Kano Emir.
Ganduje, who was then the deputy governor later became governor and sacked Sanusi on March 9, 2020.
However, Ganduje said Sanusi was never the best man for the job, but to serve as retaliation for what Jonathan did.
“Sanusi was appointed Emir of Kano not because he was the best man for the throne but to retaliate what Jonathan did to him.
“That was in order to prove that what Jonathan did to him was wrong and that the people of Kano wanted their son as Emir and therefore they decided to appoint him as Emir,” he said.
According to him, when Sanusi was appointed, there were a lot of demonstration with people burning tyres here and there, noting that because of government’s backing, he was sustained on the stool.
“When I became governor, I said yes, the Jonathan medicine is an important medicine. That medicine, even though I am not a medical doctor, but that medicine would serve the same purpose, for the same disease and for the same patient.
“So I took my Jonathan medicine and decided to save the system, to save the institution and I applied it effectively. So Jonathan and I are on the same page. Actually, I have no regrets.”
