Don’t set Nigeria on fire over Kano Gov’ship – S’West Hausa leaders

Hausa Traditional Rulers in South West on Saturday warned political leaders not to set Nigeria ablaze over the Kano State governorship poll.

Daily Trust reports that there is a palpable tension in Kano ahead of the Supreme Court judgment on the disputed election.

The two major political parties in the state, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), last week signed another peace accord to maintain decorum ahead of the last leg of the legal battle challenging Governor Abba Yusuf’s election.

Last month, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja upheld the sack of Governor Yusuf of the NNPP and declared Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the APC governorship candidate as the duly elected governor of the state.

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In a unanimous judgment of a three-member panel delivered by Justice Moore Adumein, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by the Kano Governor against the judgment of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which declared Gawuna, as the winner of the state’s governorship election held on March 18.

But Hausa leaders in the South West met in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday, where they expressed concerns on the building tension in Kano State.

The leaders under the aegis of South West Hausa Traditional Rulers Association of Nigeria described the development in Kano as “frightening.”

Reading the position of the traditional rulers, the Sarki of Sagamu, Alhaji Inuwa Garba, called on Nigerian leaders to “use their knowledge and political wisdom in dealing with the Kano problem so as to avoid violence and mayhem.”

According to him, any crisis that arises from Kano may spread across Nigeria due to its centrality and political influence in the North and Nigeria; the relative dominance of Kano State economically in the Northern Region and Nigeria as a whole; the multi-ethnicity of Kano residence especially the Southwest people, whom are mostly traders and workers, and the general political awareness of the people and social influence.

Garba said, “As elders and traditional leaders, we are particularly worried that our South West hardworking people might be caught up in the centre of the impasse since they are in possession of various assets like houses, shops and other businesses with immense investment.

“As a matter of fact, we are appealing to our esteemed leaders to use their knowledge and political wisdom in dealing with the Kano problem so as to avoid violence and mayhem.

“Not only that, the Kano problem might easily spread to other parts of the country as it happened during the ill-fated President Shagari era where the problem emanates from truncating democracy in the South West.

“As such, with due regard to saving the people, their lives and property, we hope the elders and leaders will apply the wisdom to save the situation.”

He said the leaders were out to ensure peace and harmony reign in the country.