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The emergence of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and an unrepentant critic of the federal government, as the new Emir of Kano, is said to be a product of high wired political intrigues
| By Olu Ojewale | Jun. 23, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT
HIS ambition was an open secret to everyone. On Sunday, June 8, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former governor of the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN, realised his ultimate ambition when he was named successor to the late Ado Bayero, the former Emir, who died on Friday, June 6. By the appointment, he became the 57th head of Kano kingdom and the 14th Fulani Emir of Kano. By the time Sanusi received his letter of appointment on Monday, June 9, at least three people were reportedly killed in the riot that followed his emergence as the new Emir.
Sanusi himself could not immediately move to the palace which had been condoned off by the police after 48 hours of unrest which only abated on Tuesday afternoon. The new Emir was thus, holed up at the Government house where he had been receiving guests. Among the guests he received on Tuesday, June 10, were four king makers who recommended him for the post led by Yusuf Ibrahim, chairman of the kingmakers, and the Madakin Kano, who formally presented him with the necessary royal regalia of the office. Ibrahim gave Sanusi his traditional regalia and instrument of office ahead of his coronation. The regalia comprises the twin spear or sword (Lagwayen masu), a Dabo hat, a pair of ostrich plumage shoes and a copy of the Holy Qur’an. The items handed over to him were the same used by Ibrahim Dabo, the second Fulani Emir of Kano, who was a brother and a close confidant of Usman Danfodio, the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, in 1804. Under normal circumstances, Sanusi would have, after receiving the staff of office, resumed his royal duties at the palace as has been the tradition for more than 1,000 years. He is expected to adorn the regalia on the day of coronation, which will be held at the Emir’s palace at a later date to be announced by the government.
Pending the time of moving to the palace, Sanusi has continued to perform his royal duties at a secured place in Government House. Among those who paid homage to him on Tuesday, were Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo State, his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha, and Aliko Dangote, a business mogul and the richest man in Africa. Many other dignitaries have also paid homage to the Emir. But no one from the Presidency has ventured to see the new Emir thereby fuelling speculations that it was not in support.
In the meantime, normalcy has returned to the streets of Kano after two days of violent protests which greeted the announcement of Sanusi as emir. Schools were re-opened to students; business activities have gradually regained momentum in several parts of the ancient city, as people started to go about their routines without harassment or molestation. Police had, on Monday, successfully dislodged protesters in front of the Emir’s palace located in the heart of the city along Emir Palace Road.
However, the political undertone over Sanusi’s appointment is not likely to abate very soon. One major aspect of this is the fact that the new Emir himself is known as a controversial figure. His appointment was no less so for many reasons. Prior to the announcement of his appointment,
Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, admitted that he was under immense pressure for three days from different quarters over who should succeed Bayero. Kwankwaso disclosed this while presenting his letter of appointment to Sanusi in Government House, Kano, on Monday, June 9, saying all the contestants were qualified for the coveted throne. The governor said it was a difficult task to choose from one of the contenders for the throne because they are all close friends of the government. “It was a difficult decision; all the contestants are friends of the government. There is not one among them that is an enemy of the government. If it was possible to divide the position of the emir into six and share it among all the contestants I would have done that but it was not possible. There are people even in my government that inherited the position but we have to choose one. As a governor, I must perform my responsibility and take a decision if not things will go bad,” he said.
He said further that contrary to claims in some quarters that Sanusi’s name was not among the nominees submitted to him, the name of the former CBN governor was the first on the list of contenders. Kwankwaso cautioned those fomenting trouble to desist from it in the interest of peace in the state, stating that only God could give power to whosoever he wishes and admonished everyone to take the emergence of Sanusi as the will of Allah. In his acceptance speech, the new Emir pledged to sustain the legacies of his predecessor, and also promised that his reign would place premium on upholding the dignity of Kano people, just as he would work with the government to ensure the sustenance of peace and the protection of lives and property. Sanusi debunked reports that since he was announced as the new emir, a schism had occurred in the Kano Emirate Council, stressing that all players in the council were part of his team.
He also pointed out that the family of the late Emir and his own family are one, adding: “Our family and the late Bayero’s are one family. I grew up under the late Bayero’s tutelage. I grew up along with the children of the late emir, Ado Bayero. We are appealing to people to stop discussions on what they don’t know. This protest is not from our family. Our relatives cannot ignite this protest in Kano.”
Notwithstanding the appeal, irate youths opposed to the new Emir took to the streets again on Monday morning forcing the closure of some private and public schools in a number of areas in the city. The youths in their hundreds, set bonfires along Emir Palace Road holding green leaves while chanting ‘‘Ba muso, ba muso’’, meaning, ‘‘we don’t want, we don’t want’’ in apparent reference to the choice of Sanusi.
Perhaps, not to be outdone, Sanusi’s supporters also took to the streets and tried to gain entry into the palace, but Bayero’s loyalists barricaded the entrance, forcing Sanusi’s supporters to retreat. Dahiru Yahaya, a professor of History, Bayero University, Kano, was quoted as saying that the violent reaction was not unusual. Yahaya, said: “Protests such as the one we are witnessing now are not new whenever a new Emir emerges. Fifty years ago, when the late Bayero became the Emir, there were protests and people were told to stay indoors to avoid escalation.”
However, Kwankwaso on Wednesday, June 11, read his own meaning to the unrest, blaming it on President Jonathan and his cohorts in the Peoples Democratic Party. He also alleged that the president was after his life. Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday, July 11, Kwankwaso denied allegation that the APC leaders dictated to him who to appoint, adding that Sanusi’s choice was final. Kwankwaso said contrary to the Presidency’s posture, Sanusi’s choice was popular. He alleged that his life was being threatened because of it. “I want to say that I think they are playing a lot of games. We don’t know their intention; we don’t know what they are going to do next,” the governor said, adding: “But I have to say, like all other people in this country, everybody is concerned about the insecurity. On the other hand, our lives are in the hands of the Almighty God. But the bottom line is that we have seen a signal or a sign that there is a level of mischief coming from other places. And I want to put it on record that whatever happens to me, my family and my state, Jonathan should be held responsible.”
He said further: “We have enough crisis in this country and when Kano boils, it would be a big problem for this country. He should thank us for working with the security agencies to ensure peace. But now we are seeing an attempt by them to induce crisis because of Sanusi, our choice, and because we have done our duty as stipulated in the law. And as I told the six contenders, I wish I had more than one slot to give but in this case, there is only one slot that had to be filled and that is it. It is not the duty of the PDP or the Presidency to approve such appointment and if there is the post of the Emir of Nigeria, let them appoint that one and leave us alone.”
Giving an insight into how Sanusi emerged, the governor said: “You know the issue of the installation of an Emir in Kano has not happened since the appointment of the first governor of the state, Audu Bako, who was appointed in 1967. You can see that this appointment is entirely new to most of us. In fact, among the four kingmakers, who nominated Sanusi Lamido as an emir, only one participated in the selection of the late Emir, Ado Bayero. So, when I came back to Kano on Saturday since I did not want to give room for speculations and mischief-making, I decided to invite the four kingmakers and sat down with them and asked them to brief me, especially the only one who participated in the selection of the late Emir. They briefed me and I asked them to go back and consult and they came back the following day on a Sunday and told me their position.
“Of course, when I asked them to go back and consult, mischief-makers started their mischief. Before they came back on Sunday, we started seeing on television and hearing on radio that the Peoples Democratic Party as the ruling party and the Federal Government had decided to appoint a new Emir. And that was what started the whole confusion and when my attention was drawn to it, I quickly asked the commissioner for information to ask the radio and television stations to stop the broadcast of the false and misleading announcement. We sat down with the kingmakers and from the list that we received from them, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was the best and number one on the list and from the recommendations, the governor had every reason to choose from among the list of candidates recommended.
“The selection of an emir has nothing to do with the Presidency or the Federal Government of Nigeria; it is purely a state government affair. We heard so many stories, including the fact that they should go and withdraw my security and still instigate some young men to go and burn the Government House and they tried that and we mobilised our people to protect us…But the truth is that the more I think of the appointment of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the more I feel comfortable and happy because all the people who are friends to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the government and the good people of Kano State are very happy with his selection because he is qualified by all standards-educational standard, Islamic education standard and more so, he is a proud grandson and son of an emir and all the qualities needed to appoint an emir. Sanusi Lamido has all of them in abundance. I believe he is the best.”
Even then, such protest is not peculiar to Sanusi’s elevation as Emir. Similar protests had occurred in the past in Sokoto, the most powerful emirate in the North and in Kano, the second most powerful emirate. In recent past when the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida picked Ibrahim Dasuki over Muhammadu Maccido as the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, there were wide-spread protests across the ancient city for several days. Dasuki had emerged following the death of Sultan Siddiq Abubakar III in 1988. But in 1996, General Sani Abacha deposed Dasuki and replaced him with Maccido. The sultan died in a plane crash in October 2006.
Similarly, the emergence of the late Ado Bayero did not go down well with some people in 1963 when he ascended the throne as the Emir of Kano. The protests which greeted his emergence was said to have forced people out of the streets for a few days. But that is not to say that there were no intrigues, politics and manoeuvring in the choice of Sanusi. Sources said the plots on both sides of the divide started long before the demise of Bayero. Prior to Sanusi’s suspension as the CBN governor, President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have visited the late Emir in February to tell him about his intention to act against him for his intolerable behaviour and allegations against his government. Having obtained the Emir’s support, President Jonathan thus acted on his plan and suspended the CBN governor on allegations of mismanagement.
It, however, turned out that Bayero acceded to Jonathan’s plan in a bid to truncate Sanusi’s ambition to succeed him on the throne. The monarch had believed that the inglorious exit of the Kano prince would count against him in becoming the Emir.
Besides, long before the late Emir became ill, he had unofficially chosen Sanusi Bayero, his eldest son, to succeed him. Bayero was said to have appealed to the brothers of his eldest son to rally around him when the throne became vacant and they all agreed.
However, a week before his death, the Emir was said to have made some appointments in the Emirate which did not go down well with his subjects. Prominent among them was the appointment of Nasiru Muhammad Nasir, his childhood friend, as the Waziri or vizier. Before the official ceremony to install him, the state government got wind of it and asked him to perish the idea, but the Emir was said to have declined. In defiance and right in the presence of the emissary, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the deputy governor, who led the government’s emissary, Nasir was installed as the vizier.
The appointment did not go down well with members of the Emirate’s district heads either and this led to a wide protest. Besides, the new Waziri, was regarded as a haughty and arrogant person because of his friendship with the Emir. Nasir fuelled the opposition against him because on becoming the Waziri, he chose to ride on horseback to his official residence, still occupied by his predecessor’s family and ordered members of the family to vacate the place within 24 hours.
As if that was not bad enough, Nasir was said to have verbally assaulted two prominent members of the Emirate council – Abbas Sanusi, Wambai Kano and the new Emir’s uncle and Tijjani Hashim, Galadiman Kano, at their homes. The two prominent titled leaders were said to have taken their complaints to Kwankwaso, who, acting on their petitions, later quashed the vizier’s appointment. Incidentally, a week after, Bayero, 83, himself died.
When Bayero’s death was announced, there were insinuations in some quarters that the governor’s action against his bosom friend hastened his demise. As soon as Bayero was buried, old rivalries in the family re-surfaced. Although Bayero had no hand in the deposition of Muhammadu Sanusi, who happened to be Sanusi’s grandfather, the former CBN boss started his move to regain the dynasty. To actualise his ambition, Sanusi asked Abbas Sanusi, Wambai Kano, his uncle and Abbas Sanusi Abbas, an ambassador who is also member of the family, to withdraw from the race.
From the Bayero side, there were three princes and Sani Bayero, a younger brother of the late Emir, was also interested in ascending to the throne. But the main arrowhead was Sanusi Ado Bayero, who holds the title of Ciroma. The Bayero junior who was said to have a robust career in different fields – from civil service through aviation to law practice, was a godfather to Muhammad Bello Adoke, minister of justice, who had served as an attorney in the Bayero’s chamber for many years in Kano. The two professional colleagues have sustained the cordial relationship. This, has invariably given the Bayero prince access to President Jonathan.
Besides, Edwin Clarke, an Ijaw elder statesman, is believed to have always been in contact with the prince in his bid to get an ally for the president in Kano before 2015. Sources said that a lot funds were funnelled by Clarke to Bayero for this purpose. Hence, when the late Emir died, the Presidency was said to have acted quickly to mobilise for Bayero’s eldest son to succeed him.
So, as soon as Mukhtar Maje Adnan, Sarkin Bai, Sarki Aliyu, Makama and former principal private secretary of the late General Sani Abacha, Nabahani Ibrahim, Madaki and Bello Abubakar, Sarkin Dawaki Mai Tuta, all the four kingmakers, started their deliberations to select a new Emir,the prince allegedly doled out a handsome amount to them, having persuaded his younger brothers and uncle to withdraw in his favour.
In the ante-chamber of the Government House, where they had been ensconced since Saturday afternoon, June 7, news leaked out that Sanusi Ado Bayero had been chosen unanimously as the new Emir. This prompted Sanusi to congratulate Bayero early on Sunday morning. But Kwankwaso would not accept the verdict. He was said to have pressured the kingmakers and also sent out a message to the public denying the appointment. He said the state government would announce the name of the new Emir that same day. So, when the kingmakers emerged on Sunday evening, they were joined by Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, secretary to the state government, who announced Sanusi as the new Emir. According to the government, Sanusi was the first on the list of the three names recommended for consideration.
A day before the announcement, leaders of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, including Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State; Chibuike Amaechi, governor of Rivers State; Nuhu Ribadu, former chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; Senator Danjuma Goje, former governor of Gombe State and his Kwara State counterpart, Senator Bukola Saraki, were all guests of Kwankwaso inside Government House, Kano, at a time the kingmakers, also holed up inside the same precinct, were trying to decide who would be the next Emir.
It was learnt that Kwankwaso came under intense pressure from the APC to support Sanusi as the only way to get a substantial number of the state’s 5.1 million registered voters, second only to Lagos’ 6.2 million. This can make a significant impact on the overall score of a presidential candidate especially with Lagos firmly in the grip of the APC and out of the reach of Jonathan. Kano is now under the control of the APC with Kwankwaso’s defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the party with five other governors last year. Now that Sanusi is the Emir of Kano and given the way the Jonathan administration treated him, Kano has further become an uphill task for the president to penetrate.
When the Presidency got wind of the presence of the APC bigwigs, it allegedly ordered the grounding of the chartered jet of Amaechi at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. Amaechi and other APC leaders had gone to Kano under the guise of condoling with Kwankwaso on the passing away of the Emir. The occasion afforded them the opportunity of perfecting their strategy for the emergence of Sanusi as Emir.
Apart from the fact that he has never hidden his ambition to become Emir, Sanusi himself was said to have worked for his eventual victory. He was a frequent caller at the Emirate under the late Bayero , one of whose daughters he has married. In recognition of his contributions to the welfare of the people of the ancient city, the late Emir turbaned him as Dan’Majen Kano. In the wake of multiple attacks on Kano by the Boko Haram terror group, the former CBN boss used the position of his office to donate N100 million to the state to assuage the effects of the attacks. It was all in an effort to show that he cares for his people whom he had expressed the ambition to rule one-day. Apart from his impressive qualifications, the fact that the late Emir spent more than 50 years on the throne further put Sanusi at a pole to be the next Emir.
The major stumbling block, it appeared, was the late Emir himself. Mercifully and importantly, Sanusi has an ally in Kwankwanso, who had once remarked long before Bayero died, that with him as new governor in the state, there would be a new Emir in Kano. His statement was said to have deepened the animosity between him and the late Bayero dating back to 2003 when it was alleged that Bayero had voted for Ibrahim Shekarau, who contested on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. Shekarau’s association with Bayero was said to have blossomed to the extent that the former governor, who dumped the merger of the APC he helped build for the PDP, became an in-law of the late Emir and was even made Sardaunan Kano in the Emirate. Shekarau is now a ministerial nominee of President Jonathan.
Little wonder the PDP was quick to congratulate Sanusi Bayero when the rumour mill claimed that he had been appointed the Emir. It was apparent that Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the PDP, who issued the congratulatory message, had based his information on the rumours in the social media. The PDP, however, withdrew the statement less than two hours when it became clear that it had erred. But the opposition APC saw the error as a deliberate move to undermine the new Emir and called on the Kano State attorney-general to prosecute Metuh for the act of destabilisation. Lai Mohammed, interim national publicity secretary of the APC, in a statement wondered why a ruling party, which has access to every state government in the country, would rush to the media to congratulate a contender who had not been selected, without even contacting the selecting authority to ensure the veracity of whatever news it might have heard.
“Since we live in a country which is being governed by the rule of law, the best option open to the Kano State Government is for the state attorney-general to immediately initiate criminal proceedings against PDP and its officials for incitement. Whatever explanations they have for their irresponsible and premeditated actions they should reserve for their defence in court,” the APC said.
In a swift reaction, Metuh dismissed the call for his arrest and other members of the party, saying Mohammed’s statement bordered on an unsound mind. “Indeed, it appears that lying Lai Mohammed has gone delusional and requires urgent medical attention. Has he become a low life who can go to any extent to score a cheap political point? It is public knowledge that we made an innocent mistake but immediately withdrew it and tendered an unreserved apology well before the official announcement of the new emir was made. What does Lai Mohammed have to say to Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido himself who tweeted at about 8.59 am that same Sunday that Alhaji Lamido Ado Bayero has emerged as emir?” Metuh said.
The PDP later congratulated Sanusi stating that: “The PDP holds the office of the Emir of Kano in very high esteem. We therefore give the new emir our prayers and urge him to ensure that the sanctity of the throne and the traditional institution are absolutely guarded and preserved. We are very much aware that his status has changed and we pray the Almighty Allah, who alone confers authority, to grant him the wisdom and good health to lead his people to peace and prosperity.” In his congratulatory letter to the new Emir, General Muhammadu Buhari, former head of state and a chieftain of the APC, enjoined him to join forces with the government in fighting terrorism and insurgency in the country. Buhari also tasked Lamido to bring his wealth of experience to bear in ensuring the economic revival of Kano State in particular and the country in general. Buhari, who admonished the new Emir to bear in mind that his choice was ordained by God, urged him to fear God and treat all the people of Kano state as those under his care and supervision. “You should cultivate all and exclude none,” Buhari said. In a similar message, Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, advised the new Emir to build on the enviable and positive legacies of the late Bayero. Abubakar said the new Emir had worked strenuously to fulfill a life-long ambition and that he should use his position to unite all the ruling houses of Kano State and its people. According to Abubakar, leadership is a test from God, and, therefore, urged the Emir to use his position to do justice to all manner of people in his domain.
Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, said Sanusi’s appointment by the Kano State Government “confirms the axiom that nobody can prevent the sun from rising.” While enjoining the Emir to join other well-meaning Nigerians in the current fight against Boko Haram insurgents, Akeredolu noted that Sanusi’s elevation came immediately after his tenure as the CBN governor ended. “This should be a lesson to the ephemeral holders of transient power. If the power to choose had resided somewhere else, we are sure someone else would have been preferred to this ebullient personality,” he said.
Perhaps, what should be worrisome to Sanusi’s supporters is whether his tenure would be devoid of politics and controversy which characterised his tenure as the CBN governor. His ascension to the chair as the CBN boss, was unexpected and started with controversy. His disdain for the ruling party was apparent early enough for everyone to notice. “After the 2007 elections, I had come out to say that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had rigged elections. I wrote articles supporting General Mohamadu Buhari. I did not see how I was going to find myself working with a government that I had so openly criticised. I got a few phone calls asking: ‘I heard you were appointed CBN Governor’, and you were saying ‘No. Don’t make that mistake. If they offer, you have to accept’. Anyway, it came,” he said in an interview. So, that was how he accepted to become the CBN governor. Even during his appearance at the Senate for confirmation, Sanusi criticised the late Umaru Yar’Adua’s seven-point agenda. He said that the seven-point agenda should be “prioritised” to two items, power supply and critical infrastructure. “Until we address the infrastructural problem in this country, we will not even begin to solve our problems. As a matter of fact, my view is that in the seven-point agenda, if we could focus on two or three things and finish them within the next four years, that would be a far more effective contribution to this country than focusing on the seven,” he said.
Nevertheless, Sanusi’s appointment was confirmed by the Senate on June 2, 2009. It was during the period of global financial crisis. Sanusi, who succeeded Charles Chukwuma Soludo as the CBN governor, was, however, able to stabilise the financial system, but not without some controversies. Apart from sacking the chief executive officers, CEOs, of eight rescued banks in 2009, Sanusi injected about $3.9 billion into the banks to keep them in business. He pegged the tenure of bank CEOs and auditors at 10 years thereby leading to the retirement of those who had served for more than 10 years. He reduced non-performing loans from over 35 percent to less than five percent in most banks.
His reforms saw banks moving from buying government bonds and funding blue-chip companies to focusing on the middle part of the economy, where growth happens and jobs are created. The agricultural and industrial sectors of the economy, long neglected by banks, are now receiving higher rates of credit. Similarly introduced into the financial system, macroeconomic stability by maintaining zero-tolerance for infractions in regulatory requirements on data or information reporting.
The CBN under Sanusi introduced cashless policy in order to change the cash-driven economy and reduced operational costs usually passed on to customers through other means. The policy is expected to go nationwide from July 1, this year. The cashless policy was designed to promote financial intermediation, financial inclusion, minimise revenue leakages, eliminate incidence of robbery and also reduce the amount of cash payment and encourage electronic payment. It was also under Sanusi that the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, was established to takeover non-performing loans from banks and free the lenders’ balance sheets for lending.
Sanusi invoked the wrath of the National Assembly when he alleged that a quarter of the government’s spending on overheads went to parliament thereby damaging the economy. Irked by his audacity, the lawmakers demanded an apology in December 2010, but he refused, saying he was correct in his assessment. In 2012, the lawmakers tried to curtail the bank’s powers by proposing an amendment to the CBN Act that would strip Sanusi of his position as chairman of the bank’s board of directors. They also pushed to include more external members on the board and have parliament approve the bank’s budget, but failed.
Prior to his suspension on February 20, this year, Sanusi alleged that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had an unremitted $20 billion. The case is still under investigation. But a lot of Nigerians believe that the allegation was responsible for his suspension. Sanusi, 52, was suspended from office by President Jonathan on February 20, on allegation of financial recklessness. But his tenure ended on June 2, and Godwin Emefiele, his successor, assumed office on June 3. He is still in court challenging his suspension from office.
But under the alleged financial infraction and act of financial recklessness committed by the CBN, the bank allegedly spent N3.086 billion on “promotional activities” in 2012 (up from N1.084 billion in 2011). The wisdom for such spending was queried because the CBN is not in competition with any other institution in Nigeria. “The CBN claimed to have expended N20.202 billion on ‘Legal and Professional Fees’ in 2011 beyond all reasonable standards of prudence and accountability; Between expenses on ‘Private Guards’ and ‘Lunch for Policemen’, the CBN claimed to have spent N1.257 billion in 2012.
“While Section 6(3)(c) of the CBN Act 2007 provides that the board of the CBN is to make recommendations to Mr. President on the rate of remuneration to Auditors, the bank has consistently observed this provision in the breach and even went to the extent of changing one of the Joint External Auditors without notifying the office of the President,” government allegations said in part.
Reuben Abati, senior special adviser to the president on media and publicity, said President Jonathan decided to suspend Sanusi, “having taken special notice of reports of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and other investigating bodies, which indicate clearly that Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s tenure has been characterised by various acts of financial recklessness and misconduct which are inconsistent with the administration’s vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management, prudence, transparency and financial discipline.” He also disabused the minds of critics that it was to frustrate the National Assembly investigation of the NNPC. Abati said: “Indeed, we look forward to a situation whereby Mr. Sanusi will continue to assist the legislature in its investigations and will continue to testify because what the government is interested in really is transparency and accountability and anything that will further promote that objective is perfectly welcome.” The suspended CBN governor had acted as a whistle blower when he alerted the nation that the NNPC had failed to remit $48.9billion to the federation account. The unremitted money went down to $20 billion, which the National Assembly investigated and returned a verdict that the money was not missing, but still indicted the NNPC for reckless spending.
All these Sanusi denied and in an interview with a foreign correspondent, said: “Well, I don’t know what they are talking about.… I don’t think there’s any issue that’s being raised that has not been raised before; but you know we all know what this is about. This is about the consequences for the changes that I have made and this (suspension) is something that is long overdue. I’m surprised it took them so long. When I come back, I’ll see what those allegations are.”
With the way things are, if the Presidency is able to get conviction for the criminal cases already instituted against Sanusi, he will definitely lose his seat as the Emir because it would be inconceivable for any government to allow a convicted criminal to be on the throne. This is the line of action supporters of the federal government have been urging it to take as a way of getting back at the APC which has been supporting Sanusi against the ruling party. Indeed, Oyekachi Ubani, lawyer and chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch, Lagos, said Sanusi could be in trouble if convicted of any of the cases against him. “The court cases against him will still go on because he doesn’t have immunity. The position of the Emir is not in our constitution; it is only the president, state governors and their deputies that have immunity. So, there is no immunity for being an Emir. If there is any criminal charge against him, he still has to appear before the court to give evidence. There is nothing that said because he is an Emir; he should not appear in court. But even if there is immunity which is not being considered now, those cases started before he was appointed the Emir. So, it has nothing to do with his position unless he voluntarily decides to withdraw those cases he instituted himself. But for those instituted against him, he must appear in court unless the federal government decides to withdraw them,” Ubani said. The lawyer wants the two leaders to sheath their swords and allow peace to reign. Besides, there is also an interesting political angle to the conflict between Sanusi and President Jonathan. If he intends to contest for a re-election, he would be expected to pay the traditional homage to the Emir as the royal father. “It will be interesting to see how Jonathan will handle this if he is to contest,” an observer said.
In any case, Sanusi is a man who knows what he wants. In an interview with the Financial Times of London, after he assumed office as the CBN governor, and was asked if he had an ambition to be the Nigerian president, he answered: “No, I don’t (want to be president). I have an ambition to be the emir of Kano.” The same manner, he said he had made it clear to President Jonathan in 2011 that he would not serve a second term as the CBN governor. “I informed the president going back to 2011 that I would not be interested in serving for two terms,” he told Bloomberg, adding that “the job has been done, largely.’’
Having served in the nation’s apex bank, Sanusi has been able to reach the pinnacle of his career as a banker. To prepare him for the career, Sanusi holds a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. degrees in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University and a B.A. degree (1st Class Honours) in Shariah and Islamic Studies from the International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan. Now, that he is the Emir of Kano, his Islamic degree would be useful. But whether the education has adequately equipped him for the political power ahead is another matter. The next few months before next year’s general elections, would be more crucial in the life of the new Emir than before.
But whether Sanusi would allow history to repeat itself is left to be seen. Muhammadu Sanusi, his grandfather, who was Ado Bayero’s half-brother, ruled after their father from 1953-1963. Following his dethronement in 1963, Muhammadu Inuwa ruled only for three months. After the death of Inuwa, Bayero ascended the throne in October 1963 and became the longest-serving Emir in Kano’s history when he died on Friday, June 6. So, whether he sinks or overcomes the political tidal wave is what no one would like to bet on. In any case, if the dictum of no permanent friend and no permanent foe in politics is applied, Sanusi might, indeed, swim against tide. But again, that will largely depend on how he conducts himself in his new role.
Reported by Anayo Ezugwu
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