Sanusi Lamido, A Pawn In Political Chess
Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, celebrated the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano, the ancient city. They have their reasons for celebrating the return of the highly cerebral banker.
Most of people who regularly cast aspersions on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and whatever the party represents were happy because the NNPP Governor Abba Yusuf has undone what Umar Ganduje did. They applauded Rabiu Kwakwanso’s stooge for bringing back Lamido Sanusi.
Some genuinely celebrated because Abba Yusuf has been able to return the state to the status quo. The monarchists believe that the throne is sacred and it’s disrespectful to dethrone a king.
The former didn’t take cognizance of the possibility that Sanusi Lamido is a political pawn in the game. He has constantly been “used” or deployed to settle some political scores.
In 2014, Former President Goodluck Jonathan suspended Sanusi Lamido as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). At that time, the banker was making disreputable statements against the administration of the former Bayelsa State governor, Jonathan. He seemed to be tilting towards the newly formed APC, so Jonathan used his power.
Shortly after, Mr. Rabiu Kwakwanso, who had joined the APC warmly embraced Sanusi Lamido and offered him the vacant stool of the Emir of Kano. The message at that time, arguably though, was to spite Jonathan, to show the ex president that “the rejected stone…”
He ascended the throne with pomp and pageantry and the chieftains of the newly formed All Progressives Congress applauded the step taken by the founder of red caps, Kwakwanso. They were like, ‘We have defeated Jonathan finally’.
When he was leaving power, Kwakwanso, using the common style of Nigerian governors, anointed Mr. Umar Ganduje as his successor on the platform of the APC. Mr. Ganduje coasted home victory, at least riding on the crest of Muhammadu Buhari and his ‘principal’, Kwakwanso.
But an unresolvable rift ensued between Kwakwanso and his successor Ganduje, who determined to undo all what the former governor did. In his own ‘wisdom’, Lamido Sanusi II started criticising Ganduje and throwing tantrums at Muhammadu Buhari. This didn’t go down well with Ganduje, who now heads the All Progressives Congress.
In 2020, Ganduje wielded his power and made history repeats itself by embarrassingly dethroning Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II. There was even no protest in the street of Kano against the dethronement.
The removal of Sanusi is purely political. It’s crystal clear that he’s used to settle political scores. The likes of Nasir El-Rufai, who were uncomfortable with Ganduje, rallied round the deposed monarch. The former CBN boss is a pawn.
Fast forward to 2024, Abba Yusuf, dancing to the tunes of his benefactor, Kwakwanso, instructed the Kano State House of Assembly to repeal the law establishing the four additional Emirates. In order to fire the banker, Ganduje broke Kano Emirate into five.
The Yusuf-influenced decision of the Kano State Assembly ultimately brought back the former CBN Governor. Kwakwanso and Ganduje are still at loggerheads fighting for the soul of Kano. They have had an available pawn in the supremacy battle.
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