Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial district, has reacted to the appointments given to Emir Muhammad Sanusi II by Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Within 24 hours, Governor El-Rufai announced the dethroned Emir as the chancellor of the Kaduna State University, KASU, and vice-chairman of the Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency, KADIPA.
While many have praised the Kaduna state governor for identifying with his long term associate, Senator Sani does not seem impressed.
He said on ChannelsTv on Friday, March 12, 2020: “If I were an Emir in Kaduna I could have been deposed within one week and banished to Madagascar and later to Kabul with an instruction to the Taliban to never allow me to grow my hair.’’
Sani, however, urged the deposed Emir to challenge the action of the Kano state government in court, a move the legal team of the Emir has already started.
El rufai and Sani are arch political rivals.
Sani represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate from 2015 to 2019.
Meanwhile, investment banking guru, Atedo Peterside, has said he will not attend a forum organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, because he is displeased with the dethronement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano.
Peterside, the founder of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, made his stance known in a letter sent to the governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele.
Peterside who also sits on the board of Flour Mills of Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries and Unilever Nigeria said he cannot hide his displeasure at Sanusi’s deposition and eventual banishment from Kano state.
“Whilst thanking you for the invitation, I believe the correct thing for me to do is to respectfully decline to participate,” he wrote.
In a related development, the widow of late Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, Graca Machel, has expressed solidarity with the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
In a letter she personally signed and addressed to Emir Sanusi on Tuesday, March 10, Machel said she was saddened to learn of his dethronement.
She described Emir Sanusi as a bold inspiration for leaders and offered to help him “during this challenging time.”
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