CSO Writes Kano Assembly Speaker, Cautions against Emirates Law

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Advocacy Centre for Development, has written an open letter to the speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, warning against tampering with the state emirate law.

According to the CSO, the assembly should be mindful of their action in the Kano State emirate law, adding that if such was not treated carefully, it might cause problems not only in the state, but the entire Northern Nigeria.

The letter, signed by the CSO’s Executive Director, Ibrahim Yusuf, stated that the speaker should be aware that they were a concerned group representing the voices of many civil society organisations, academia, democracy champions and advocates for peace and security promotion in the North and in Nigeria at large.

Formerly known as Society and the Future, the group stated:“We operate precisely in the North Eastern States of Nigeria. We therefore write to inform you that we are disturbed by the persistent hullabaloo on the new Emirates Councils created in Kano, sometime in 2019 by the former Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

“Let me remind you that, all states in Northern Nigeria are connected to Kano State, either directly or indirectly, and therefore all social, economic and political decisions in Kano State have a tendency to affect the residents of other States either positively or negatively.

“It is therefore for this reason, all residents of Northern Nigeria have a moral right to speak about the happenings in Kano State, by way of sharing their thoughts with a view to help in providing advice that could help in arriving at a sensible and wise decision.

“It is on this note, we wish to use this opportunity to draw your attention to the likely implications of responding to agitations to woo you and the House of Assembly, to abolish the additional emirates councils,” the CSO said.

The group said the atmosphere was not conducive to contemplate such action, adding that it was ill-timed as the decision needed careful thought and wisdom, to avoid further polarisation of the traditional institutions, create further enmity amongst the people of Kano State, destroy the little integrity left, of the Traditional Institutions in Northern Nigeria.