A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of backing Aminu Ado Bayero in the Kano emirate tussle as part of a strategy to gain political advantage ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Channels Television on Monday, Galadima alleged that the federal government was deliberately using Bayero’s claim to the throne to weaken Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II and destabilise Kano for partisan gains.
“Was it not Tinubu who canvassed for Sanusi to become emir? Let him come out and tell me that he didn’t, and I will give him instances,” Galadima said, dismissing the ongoing legal tussle as a matter that should not fall under the jurisdiction of a federal high court.
The crisis stems from the May 23, 2024 reinstatement of Sanusi II by Governor Abba Yusuf, four years after he was deposed by former governor Abdullahi Ganduje. The decision sparked a sharp backlash from Bayero’s supporters, leaving the emirate divided and the courts drawn into the matter.
Galadima further accused the federal government of deploying security agencies, including the police, to interfere in Kano’s traditional leadership for political interests.
Despite speculations of reconciliation, he maintained that NNPP leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, will not support Tinubu’s 2027 presidential ambition.
“Let anybody come out and tell me that he met Kwankwaso and he canvassed or persuaded him or coerced him to join the APC. If anybody talks to him about that, I ought to know. He is the strongest political Iroko in this country today because he dared the APC and defeated them at their game in Kano,” Galadima declared.
