TRENDING: Why I can’t support reinstatement of Sanusi, dissolution of Kano emirates – Cleric

A Bauchi-based Islamic cleric, Idris Abdulaziz, has criticised the reinstatement of Lamido Sanusi as the sole emir of Kano.

Governor Abba Yusuf reinstated Mr Sanusi in May, a day after the state House of Assembly scrapped four of the five emirates in the state.

But Mr Idris said the government should have retained the emirates as having more emirs would help in resolving conflicts at the local level.

Mr Idris’ statement was captured in a video posted on Facebook during a Friday Jumm’at sermon on 21 June at the Dutsen Tanshi area of the Bauchi metropolis.

He said the abrogation of the four emirates negates the principle of decentralisation of power.

The video of the statement in Hausa has gone viral in Kano and other northern states.

The cleric ignored a warning by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), on 29 May, which advised Muslim clerics not to interfere in the emirate crisis in Kano State.

The clip, which had over 4,000 likes and over 1,400 shares as of the time this reporter viewed it, showed the cleric commending former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who initially dethroned Mr Sanusi and split the emirates into five.

Mr Idris cited the much smaller Bauchi State, which has six emirates each with first-class emirs.

“What type of development is this, just to satisfy one person, you are persecuting your people in this democratic setup. It takes people two months to see an emir if there are disagreements that need to be reconciled by the traditional institutions,” Mr Idris said.

Mr Idris said splitting the Kano emirate into five was a good decision by former Governor Ganduje.

“I never met Ganduje either one-on-one or through third-party, or phone calls, I swear, but I am in support of whoever is fair and just.

“For me, whoever dethroned Sanusi deserves a salute, because we are looking at it from a religious perspective. I can’t believe in a self-proclaimed cleric deceiving people claiming to be an Islamic cleric.

“Just because you read Arabic linguistics for some months did not qualify you to be an Islamic cleric,” Mr Idris said.

PREMIUM TIMES reached out to Ibrahim Kurawa, who coordinates media activities for Mr Sanusi at the palace on Mr Idris’ comments.

Mr Kurawa said the cleric is not informed on happenings in Kano and, thus, cannot comment on them.

Mr Sanusi was initially dethroned on 9 March 2020 by then-Governor Ganduje, who accused him of insubordination and political interference.

He was replaced by Aminu Ado-Bayero, who held the throne until 24 May this year when Governor Yusuf reinstated Mr Sanusi as the sole emir of Kano.

Mr Ado-Bayero is challenging his removal in court and has occupied the mini palace of the emirate at the Nasarawa GRA.