The Northern Elders’ Forum has said President Jonathan cannot stop Sanusi’s enthronement as the new Emir of Kano.
The forum said it is wrong for the Presidency to interfere with enthronement of the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, as the new Emir of Kano.
According to the forum, the presidency ought not to interfere in an ethno-religious tradition that is over 1000 years old.
PUNCH reports that the Deputy National Chairman, NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo, alleged that President Jonathan has often rejected advise, going hard on his critics adding that he was being misled by his advisers.
“Such is happening in Kano after somebody who was supposed to be the government’s enemy was chosen by the traditional people to be their emir. I saw the government reacting to a purely traditional and religious matter.”
“He is a Christian president but people are pushing him to go and stop a religious and traditional leader. I don’t think they know the meaning of an emir. An emir is both like a pope; like an archbishop and, at the same time, he has traditional powers,” Paul said.
The forum also lent its support to the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, over his stance on the insurgency by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, in the North-East.
Following the death of Ado Bayero, the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi was chosen as the new Emir. Following the announcement that Sanusi was the new Emir, some aggrieved people took to the streets in protest.
There were also reports that Sanusi was sneaked out of his house by Kano state government after intelligence report that the Federal government was making plans to arrest him.
Even after he received his appointment letter and staff of office, he continued to rule his subjects from the Kano government house as the palace was under lock and key.
However, on Friday, June 13, the new Emir proceeded to his palace with a huge crowd following him.
Source: Punch Nigeria
