Kano: Northern youths write Tinubu, UN, others, warn against anarchy

Amid the ongoing power tussle in the Kano Emirate, the leadership of the Northern Youth Assembly – Majalisar Matasan Arewa, has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu urging him to be wary of some people in his administration planning for anarchy in Kano State.

The letter, dated May 25, 2024, and signed by the group’s President, Dr. Ali Idris, and its Secretary General, Dr. Garba Abdulhafiz, was copied to the United Nations Office, Abuja European Union Embassy, the Economic Community of West African States, British High Commission, Abuja, among others.

The letter noted that the state’s change in the Emirate Law was a product of the law passed by the State House of Assembly, stating that any attempt to subvert such law would only result in chaos.

“The leadership of the Northern Youth Assembly (Majalisar Matasan Arewa), on behalf of its chapters in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, has, at the moment, found it compelling to draw your attention, as a democratically-elected President in the country, through a constitutionally prescribed process, with defined powers and privileges, regarding the recent development on Kano Emirate.

“It is common knowledge that Nigeria as a country that practises federalism has a constitution which prescribes the powers for the central government and the sub-national governments which equally reprrepresent lawfully recognised federating units.

“Sir, as part of the powers provided by the Nigerian constitution of exercising legislative authority by the state assemblies at the sub-national level, is to make laws for the betterment and welfare of their states as well as their citizens,” the letter partly read.

It noted that “the process to exercise this constitutional right may include making new laws, amending the existing laws and repealing the existing laws.

“The Kano State House of Assembly, in 2019, exercised such powers by amending the Kano State Emirate Councils Laws, and created four additional emirates, and the law was subsequently assented by the then Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.”

However, it stated that the State House of Assembly “equally exercised such legislative powers by repealing the same law and dissolved the newly created four additional emirates in the state, and the Executive Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, equally assented to the new repealed law.”

The youth group noted that each of the two state assemblies performed their constitutional and legislative functions, as they deemed fit and so should stand.

The group said the move to forcefully impose the deposed 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero “is nothing but a broad daylight encroachment on the constitutional democratic practices, undermining the authorities of the sub-national and federating units, and a clear interference in the exercise of their constitutional powers.

“This ugly development is not only an embarrassment to your government, and your personality as someone who has always portrayed himself as a Democrat.

“Our fear is that your government and its appointees, may be seen as people who do not have respect for democratic governance, practices and constitutional authority.”

The letter partly read, “We wish to draw your attention at this juncture that, Kano has been peaceful, and any attempt to disrupt the peace in the state, by heeding to the interest of some few selfish and greedy people against the wishes of over 20 million people of Kano, may lead to chaos and anarchy, and is likely to portray your government in the bad light.”

The group further warned not to sabotage “democratic authorities, by usurping the constitutional rights, authorities and powers of the sub-national democratic structure.”

Governor Abba Yusuf had reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

Sanusi, who was the 14th Emir, was deposed by former governor Umar Ganduje.

However, before his reinstatement, Yusuf ordered Bayero and the other four emirs to vacate their palaces, in the advent of the newly passed Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday, condemned the FG’s deployment of soldiers to Kano, stating that it undermines the peace and security of the state and violates the 1999 Constitution as amended.

However, the Deputy Governor of the state, Aminu Gwarzo, had accused the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, of facilitating the return of the dethroned Emir Bayero, which has been denied by Ribadu, saying the allegations as “untrue.”