The Presidency has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari was not involved in the dethronement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.
“All such insinuations are untrue, malicious and politically-motivated”, it said on Wednesday in a statement by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to Buhari on Media and Publicity.
The statement came a few hours after the former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, alleged that Buhari knew about the sacking of Sanusi.
Kwankwaso was quoted as speaking in an interview on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation monitored in Kaduna on Wednesday.
However, the Presidency claimed Buhari has no history of involving himself in matters that were purely within the jurisdiction of state governments unless they had national security implications.
“The President does not have a history of intervening in the affairs of any state in the country, unless the issue at hand is of national consequence. On such matters which impinge on national security, he has a duty of involvement as the law stipulates.
“As outlined in the Constitution, the appointment or removal of emirs and other traditional leaders is strictly within the jurisdiction of state governments. It is unfair and disingenuous of opposition politicians to try to link the situation in Kano State to the federal government and the Nigerian President.
“Although a retired general and former military Head of State, President Buhari clearly understands that under the current democratic dispensation, the government at the centre cannot read instructions or twist the arms of all or any of the 36 state governments making up the federation. They all have their powers specified under the Constitution,” the Presidency added.
It said Buhari commended the people of Kano for remaining calm in the heat of the dethronement of the emir.
“President Buhari commends the people of Kano for keeping calm in the past few days of the dethronement announcement.
“He prays that the will of Allah will be done at all times and that the emirate/state and its people continue to experience progress irrespective of who is on the throne,” it said.
Packaged by Alice Egbedele with additional reports from punchng.com
