There are reports of a renewed plot to dethrone Muhammad Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano State, allegedly spearheaded by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Kano State Governor.
Sources within the Kofar Kudu Palace suggest that Ganduje is mobilizing influential figures in Kano in a coordinated effort to remove the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor from his position as the 16th Emir of Kano and Chairman of the Kano Council of Chiefs.
A well-placed insider disclosed that Ganduje’s primary objective is to secure the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in this scheme. The plot reportedly also involves pressuring Aminu Ado Bayero, the current Emir of Kano, to step down. The move is being framed as a solution to the state’s leadership disputes, but many see it as a calculated bid to consolidate power within Kano’s traditional institutions.
Ganduje, who has a long-standing history of conflict with Emir Sanusi, is said to have rallied a coalition of loyalists, including influential Kano politicians, business leaders, and key stakeholders. Their aim is to persuade President Tinubu to back Ganduje’s efforts to permanently remove Sanusi from the emirate.
This fresh development marks the latest in a series of moves by Ganduje to undermine Sanusi, following the former governor’s pivotal role in the 2020 deposition of the emir. Observers note that Ganduje’s strategy now hinges on leveraging presidential influence to finalize what he started.
The source further revealed that a delegation, carefully chosen for their allegiance to Ganduje, includes prominent business figures, politicians, and traders, all advocating for the removal of both Emir Sanusi and Aminu Ado Bayero under the guise of fostering peace within the Kano Emirate.
“Despite being framed as a move to resolve leadership tensions, Ganduje’s true agenda is becoming increasingly clear,” the source claimed. “He aims to use presidential power to complete his mission of ousting Emir Sanusi, a figure he has repeatedly clashed with over the years.”
While the Kano State Government has officially recognized Emir Sanusi, certain politicians and business leaders loyal to the APC and Ganduje continue to recognize Aminu Ado Bayero as the legitimate Emir, further complicating the situation.
This development, if true, could signal a significant shift in Kano’s traditional leadership, with Ganduje seeking to exert full control over the emirate, a historically independent institution that has long resisted his influence.
