What’s going on in Kano State? This is the big question. There seems to be no let-up in the ding dung affair to dethrone the Emir, Mallam Muhammed Sanusi. Ever since it emerged that the latter had supported his bitter enemy at the last Guber Poll, Dr. Abdullahi Ghaduje seems determined to uproot him from his exalted throne.
That effort received a giant boost over night when President Buhari declined to mediate in the matter. Now, the Kano State Governor appears to have been given the clear to finally land the death blow on his target. Having split his emirate last year, and with the support of the House of Assembly, it may well be a matter of days before they move in for the final blow.
This is not the time to ask whether Ghanduje derives any benefit from his destructive push to unseat Sanusi; if he does, his immediate profit would be that he has finally settled scores with his “arch enemy”. That wouldn’t be all; he may decide to prosecute the monarch over a phantom crime, for this is arguably the way of politics in Nigeria. But would the Emir sit by and allow himself to be pushed out? Does he command followership? The Emir is well known to be outspoken; his boldness is also legendary. Emir Sanusi represents the modern brigade of leadership trying to foist change on his people. It is this strategic move for a change that appears to have ignited the clash and fueled the bitter rivalry. The truth however is that Ghanduje has a lot to benefit by letting Sanusi be. For one, he would have shown his political maturity and ability to rise above pettiness; secondly, he would have shown himself to be a
