Kano Emirate Tussle: Minister Accuses Deputy Governor of Disrespecting Tinubu.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
March 2, 2025
In a sharply-worded statement released today, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Ata, has launched a strong condemnation of the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, accusing him of publicly disrespecting President Bola Tinubu.
The heated controversy stems from comments made by the Deputy Governor regarding the ongoing emirship dispute in Kano State. Gwarzo, in a recent interview, had insinuated that President Tinubu should intervene personally to remove the emir whom the president had appointed, claiming that the monarch was “kept in a graveyard.” The remark has sparked outrage in political circles, with many seeing it as a direct affront to the dignity of the nation’s highest office.
In the official statement, Abdullahi Ata, through his media aide Seyi Olorunsola, called Gwarzo’s statement “inflammatory and reckless,” emphasizing that it displayed a complete lack of respect for the office of the president.
The minister further stated that the Deputy Governor’s comments were “unacceptable, disgraceful, and an affront to the dignity of the nation’s highest office.”
“Such utterances only serve to further deepen the already contentious issue in Kano, and highlight the Kano State Government’s blatant disregard for democratic institutions and the principles of governance,” Ata said. “The Deputy Governor’s audacity to publicly address the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in such an uncouth and disrespectful manner is unacceptable.”
The minister also alluded to the legal complexities surrounding the emirship matter, emphasizing that the issue is currently before the courts. Despite this, the Kano State Government, led by Gwarzo, has continued to make inflammatory statements regarding the matter, something that Ata describes as an attempt to exert undue pressure on the judiciary.
“This reckless and irresponsible behavior by the Kano State Government is nothing short of political rascality,” Ata declared. “It undermines the rule of law, challenges the integrity of the judiciary, and distorts the democratic process. No government, regardless of how emboldened it may feel, has the right to challenge the authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.”
The minister further emphasized that the office of the president must be accorded the highest level of respect, and he called on the Deputy Governor to formally retract his inflammatory remarks within the next 72 hours. Should Gwarzo fail to comply, Ata warned that key stakeholders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have no choice but to explore all legal and political avenues to seek redress.
“It is crucial that the Kano State Government, if it believes it has a legitimate grievance, channel its concerns through the proper legal and constitutional processes,” Ata concluded. “This continued pattern of disregard for law and order must not be tolerated.”
The escalating tension between the Kano State Government and President Tinubu’s administration has set the stage for what could become a defining political showdown in the months ahead, as both sides appear unwilling to back down.
