Maku replies Kwankwaso, says Kano governor afraid of “own shadow”

“Governor Kwankwaso has no respect for anyone, not even for the traditional institution of his own state.”

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The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, on Friday said the Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is “afraid of his own shadow,” by casting aspersion on President Goodluck Jonathan over protests that rocked the state on Sunday.

The minister, in response to statements by the governor, also blamed him for the protest in the city after the emergency of Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Joseph Mutah, Mr. Maku said the recent statement by the governor showcases an increasing impatience of the people of Kano with Mr. Kwankwaso’s ‘one-man rule’.

The minister alleged that Mr. Kwankwaso imposes his will on the state with total disregard to the wishes of his people.

Mr. Kwankwaso, in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, accused Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, of plotting to kill him.

He also accused the president of igniting the protest in Kano after a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, emerged the emir on Sunday.

In response, Mr. Maku advised the governor to make amends by facing the people of Kano and explain the role he and leaders of the All Progressive Congress, APC, played in the crisis.

“Instead of throwing tantrums and casting aspersions on imaginary enemies, Kwankwaso should face the people of Kano and explain to them the role he and APC leaders played in the imbroglio,” Mr. Maku said.

Mr. Maku said it was also surprising that the governor decided to drag the president in the crisis that rocked the city even after the Kano State police offered explanations for deploying officers to the palace.

Police officers had laid siege on the palace since Mr. Sanusi’s emergence, with the police claiming they were there to protect the place and its occupants from trouble makers. Mr. Kwankwaso and several others, however, believe they were placed there on the orders of the president to arrest Mr. Sanusi.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the police officers were eventually withdrawn on Friday after Mr. Sanusi called the president to make amends.

Mr. Maku also claimed that the Kano State governor does not respect anyone.

Stating that the latest claim by Mr. Kwankwaso was ‘wild’, the Information Minister said he was not surprised and made reference to the governor’s differences with the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, shortly before the latter’s death.

“Governor Kwankwaso has no respect for anyone, not even for the traditional institution of his own state. After the recent denial of freedom of choice for the people of Kano by imposing local government chairmen and councillors on them, he then took on the late Kano Monarch shortly before his demise,” he said.

The minister, however, urged Kano residents to remain peaceful and law abiding and shun recourse to violence in spite of what he called the highhandedness of the governor and his associates.