Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II Saturday replied the query handed him by the Kano State government over the alleged misappropriation of N3.4 billion by the Emirate Council.
In a letter to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who issued him the query, the Emir, through the acting secretary of the Kano Emirate Council, Abba Yusuf said that he could not have been culpable in the alleged fund misappropriation since he was neither the accounting officer nor the council secretary.
He said that at the time he was installed as the emir in 2014, the Emirate Council had only N1, 89 billion, an amount far lesser than the N3.4 billion Kano State anti-graft agency said was siphoned between 2014 and 2017.
“You may wish to note that at the time his highness Muhammadu Sanusi was appointed Sarkin Kano, the exact amount in the account of the Kano emirate council is N1.893,378,927.38.
“It is also important to note that Emir Sanusi is not the accounting officer of the emirate council but the secretary of the council.”
The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission had, on Wednesday, recommended that Emir Sanusi should be suspended over misappropriation of N3.4 billion by the Emirate Council under his leadership.
The recommendation was contained in a preliminary report of an investigation conducted by the commission and signed by its chairman, Muhuyi Magaji, a copy of the report was made available to news men in Kano.
Following the recommendation, the state government on Thursday, gave Emir Sanusi 48-hour ultimatum to “give satisfactory explanations” on the allegations.
The secretary to the state government, Usman Alhaji, who issued the query on behalf of the government, said that Emir Sanusi’s answer to the query will allow the government to “take appropriate decision.”
Meanwhile, the governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Kano-born Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote were said to have intervened in the rift between Governor Ganduje and Emir Sanusi.
Governor Fayemi, who is the Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), was said to have arranged the meeting between the duo which took place in Abuja today, June 8, with all the key figures in attendance.
It was gathered that at the meeting, Governor Ganduje and Emir Sunusi exchanged pleasantries and agreed to settle their differences.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar, said in a statement that both leaders advised the Muslim community to imbibe the good teachings and spirit of the Fasting period.
He said that the dialogue, which was at the instance of Dangote and Fayemi, also addressed the indictment of the Emir by the Kano state public complaints and anti-corruption commission on allegations of corruption and mismanagement of N3.4 billion.
He said that at the meeting, Emir Sanusi seized the opportunity to congratulate Governor Ganduje for his second term victory as the state governor, wishing him a successful tenure in office.
