Thursday’s repeal of the Kano Emirates Council Law, which saw the sacking of the five emirs and the appointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano revealed how politics continued to determine the reign of traditional rulers in the foremost emirate.
Since the First Republic, emirs of the ancient city have had to contend with the whims of some political leaders holding forth in the territory.
The first to taste this bitter pill was the 11th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who had a running battle with the northern regional government headed by Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.
Relations between Sanusi and the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) government led by Ahmadu Bello was said to have turned sour when senior members of the party in Kaduna became disenchanted with the emir’s towering personality, and rising influence.
A probe panel set up by the northern regional government headed by D.J.M Muffet, the sole commissioner recommended the forced resignation of the 11th Fulani Emir of Kano.
On March 28, 1963, the then Regional Governor, Sir Kashim Ibrahim received the letter of resignation tendered by the embattled emir, which the government accepted.
Sanusi, was subsequently deposed and banished to Azare in Bauchi State, where he maintained a low profile.
He was succeeded by his uncle, Muhammadu Inuwa, son of Emir Abbas and younger brother to the late Emir Abdullahi Bayero, whom Sanusi succeeded.
His ouster created political tension in Kano leading to the formation of Kano People’s Party (KPP), which clamoured for the creation of Kano region, independent of the Northern Region.
KPP members were largely sympathetic to the deposed emir.
The Action Group, led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, tried to make political capital out of the seemingly declining political fortune of the NPC in Kano ahead of the 1964 general election.
Emir Inuwa’s reign was short, as he died on the throne six months later. Inuwa, however, managed internal rebellion from older children of the deposed emir.
Ado Sanusi, who held the traditional title of Daniya, was promoted to Galadima by Emir Inuwa, a position he rejected and instead tendered his resignation. This action angered the emir who decreed a dismissal instead.
Ado Bayero, a younger brother to Sanusi, was appointed Emir of Kano by the northern regional government on October 22, 1963, to succeed Muhammadu Inuwa.
He was the longest reigning emir in the history of Kano emirate after the Sokoto jihad, but he also had collision with politicians in the course of his reign.
After the military coup of January 15, 1966, the enormous powers of the native authority, which was under the emir, was reduced and this was compounded by the local government reform of the 1970s, depriving the emir of full control over local government councils.
After the 1979 elections, the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) government led by Abubakar Rimi, had a bitter relationship with the then Emir Ado Bayero. The PRP was an offspring of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), whose agenda was for the emancipation of the poor from oppression, over taxation and the overbearing influence of the emirate.
Governor Rimi’s query issued to the emir led to riots in Kano in July, 1981. To further reduce the powers of the emir, Rimi created new emirates of Gaya, Rano, Dutse and Auyo, giving them first class statuses as emir Ado Bayero.
The emirs of Kazaure, Gumel and Hadejia, now in Jigawa State, were also upgraded to first class status.
In 1982, Governor Rimi relocated the deposed Emir Sanusi from Azare in Bauchi State to Wudil, near Kano, raising suspicion that he wanted to reappoint him.
However, respite came the way of Emir Bayero following the 1983 election, which saw the defeat of Rimi by PRP’s Aliyu Sabo Bakinzuwo.
The first action of Governor Bakinzuwo was to remove all the emirs appointed by Rimi and demoted them to their previous positions.
Ado Bayero will go on to survive many military administrations, including the Abacha regime that allegedly planned to balkanize Kano State, allegedly in pursuance of the self-succession bid of the military ruler.
Oral accounts had it that when Bayero got wind of the plot, he reportedly called the Commander-in-Chief to personally say ‘thank you’. Perhaps, many in Kano believed, that killed the plot.
Ado Bayero was the lone emir in the state after the creation of Jigawa, which saw the movement of Kazaure emirate to the new state.
His long reign came to an end on June 6, 2014, following his death after 50 years on the throne.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who had been removed as CBN governor by ex- President Goodluck Jonathan, succeeded him on June 8.
Late Ado Bayero’s eldest son, Lamido Sanusi Ado Bayero, left Kano in protest of the appointment.
And in 2015, the new emir, who changed his official name to Muhammad Sanusi II, stripped Lamido Ado Bayero of his title of Chiroman Kano, and in his stead elevated his younger brother, Nasiru Ado Bayero, to the position and made him the district head of Nasarawa.
Sanusi also elevated Aminu Ado Bayero to Wambai from Sarkin Dawakin Tsakar Gida.
After the 2019 election, which was won by Ganduje, five new emirates were created on May 8.
This action was believed by many to be targeted at the then 14th Emir, Sanusi, whom the governor believed opposed his re-election and was critical of his policies.
The creation of the new emirates was challenged in court by two members of the State House of Assembly, who contended that due process was not followed and Justice Usman Na’Abba voided the law establishing the emirates.
But it was a temporary respite as Governor Ganduje assented to a new law establishing the emirates on December 5, the same year.
One of the beneficiaries of the new law was Aminu Ado Bayero, who was made emir of the newly created Bichi emirate.
Legal fireworks ensued thereafter over the new emirates culminating in the deposition of Emir Sanusi and his banishment to Awe in Nasarawa State on March 9, 2020.
Aminu Ado was subsequently appointed Emir of Kano.
The 2023 election in the state changed the dynamics around the new emirates as the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) led government made its intention known that the emirates created by the previous administration would go.
[DailyTrust]
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has granted an ex-parte order stopping Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano from reinstating Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II pending the determination of a substantive suit filed against the reinstatement.
The order also kicked against the abolishment of four emirates: Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano.
DAILY POST earlier reported that the reinstatement was consequent upon a bill earlier passed by the State House of Assembly on Thursday.
The court, however, directed all parties involved to maintain status quo ante pending the determination of the suit filed by Sarkin Dawaki Babba and Aminu Babba-Dan’Agundi on Thursday.
Justice A.M. Liman of the Federal High Court granted leave to the Plaintiff/Applicant to issue and serve their concurrent originating motion, as well as all other court processes on the 6th Defendant (IGP) in FCT Abuja and outside the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court.
The defendants in the suit include the Kano State Government, the Kano State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the State Assembly, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Department of State Services.
Justice Liman ordered that “in view of the Constitutional and Jurisdictional Issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the Court on same at the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.
“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an Interim Injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the Respondents from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalizing the Kano State Emirate Law Council (Repeal) Law.
“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.”
The Judge adjourned the case to June 3, 2024, for hearing.
Governor Abba Yusuf had on Thursday officially announced the re-appointment of Emir Sanusi.
[DailyPost]
The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has scheduled judgment for Monday in the petition by Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Kogi, Murtala Ajaka.
Ajaka and his party are challenging the declaration of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election held on November 11, 2023.
The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, announced the date yesterday in a message communicated to counsel to the parties through its Secretary, David Mike.
Hearing in the case, which commenced in December last year, ended on May 13 when the SDP, Ajaka, the APC, Ododo and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adopted their final written addresses, after which the tribunal reserved judgment.
INEC, the APC and Ododo urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for being unmeritorious.
INEC’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN) argued that the petition lacked merit and was incompetent.
He urged the tribunal to either strike it out or dismiss it.
Agabi said: “It is our humble submission that your work in the determination of this petition is simplified in recent judgments by the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.”
He noted that the Court of Appeal has decided that if the grounds of a petition are inconsistent with one another, and are not consistent with the reliefs, it should be struck out.
Agabi added that the evidence led by the petitioners were grossly insufficient, citing a Supreme Court decision in a case of Tonye Cole against INEC.
He said the Supreme Court’s decision in that case “is to the effect that once the evidence called is grossly insufficient, there is no evidence.
“In that case, the petitioner filed 305 witness depositions, but only adopted 40 of them. The petitioner only adopted about 13.1 per cent of the witness depositions.
“In this case, (the petition by the SDP and Ajaka) the depositions adopted represent just about 3.6 per cent of their witness depositions,” Agabi said.
He noted that the petitioners only called 25 witnesses, adding that in mathematical calculation of evidence, 3.6 per cent of Ajaka’s witness deposition adopted in the petition amounted to a failure and therefore, ought to be dismissed.
[TheNation]
Laolu Afolabi writes on the dethronement of five Emirs in the Kano Emirate and the reinstatement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, who was deposed four years ago
On Thursday, May 23, 2024, the Kano State House of Assembly heard the motion on the Kano State Emirate Council Amendment Bill and eventually repealed the 2019 Law that allowed for the creation of the five separate emirates from the old Kano Emirates.
The development paved the way for the historic return of Emir Lamido Sanusi, who was dethroned on March 9, 2020.
The proposed amendment to the bill was brought to the floor of the House of Assembly on Monday, May 20, 2024, and the bill was considered and passed on Thursday, after successfully scaling its second and third readings.
The Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Butu, speaking on the amendment, said, “Repealing the law that divided the Kano Emirate into five separate entities would help revive the lost glory of Kano.’’
He further stated that “The division of the Kano Emirate into five reduced the capacity and dignity of the state at the national level.”
Immediately after he signed the act of the parliament at exactly 5.10 pm, Governor Kabir Yusuf of Kano State announced the reappointment of Sanusi as the new Emir of Kano, four years after he was deposed.
The emirs of the five defunct emirates who were affected by the new law and finally deposed were Alhaji (Dr) Aminu Ado Bayero, Emir of Kano; Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero, Emir of Bichi; Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar II, Emir of Karaye; Alhaji Ibrahim Ibrahim, Emir of Gaya and Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa, the Emir of Rano.
The governor, after signing the bill, asked the deposed traditional rulers to vacate palaces immediately.
Beyond the repeal of the law, “reviving the lost glory of Kano,” and “the division reducing the capacity and dignity of the state at the national level,” there had been intrigues and political dimensions to the Kano Emirate and whoever occupies the position of the Emir of Kano.
The Kano Emirate Council is important to the North and, since it was formed in 1903, after the British pacification of the Sokoto Caliphate, it has continued to maintain its relevance in the political and religious affairs of the country. The Emir of Kano is a first-class monarch and one of the great Islamic rulers in Nigeria. The leader of the emirate is among the four leading Islamic authorities, to wit, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Shehu of Borno, the Emir of Kano and the Emir of Gwandu.
To the Kano people, the attempt by the former governor of the state and now National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, to create five emirates out of the old Kano Emirate had reduced the political and religious power of the emirate in national affairs.
Kano holds the ace in determining the emergence of most leaders in the political history of the country. From the days of the First Republic till the last general election conducted in 2023, the votes from Kano had always influenced whoever wins the presidency,
In the build-up to the 2015 political season, the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, ran into troubled water after he axed the then-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi. The reforms carried out by Sanusi in the CBN had received both criticism and appraisal from the industry. The Banker magazine recognised him as the 2010 Central Bank Governor of the Year, for his reforms and leading a radical anti-corruption campaign in the sector – the first of its kind during the financial crisis.
By December 2013, Sanusi, in a leaked letter to then-President Jonathan revealed that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation failed to remit $48.9bn of government oil revenue to the CBN. The disclosure led to a series of public investigations and raised the alarm on the $20bn NNPC scandal. Sanusi was suspended as CBN governor and in April 2014, he won a court case against the Federal Government, after he was detained and his international passport confiscated by the Department of State Service.
The suspension of Sanusi by the former president opened doors for a campaign against his return in the 2015 election. Latching on to the political advantage, having defected from the Peoples Democratic Party at the time to the newly-formed All Progressives Congress, the then governor of the state, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, moved to install Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, following the death, on June 6, 2014, of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero, who reigned for over five decades.
By June 8, 2014, Sanusi, a grandson of former Emir Muhammadu Sanusi I, and holder of the traditional title of Dan Majen Kano (son of Emir-Maje), had emerged the new Emir of Kano and he was crowned on June 9, 2014. His ascension then led to widespread protests from supporters of Sanusi Ado Bayero, the Chiroman Kano (Crown Prince), the son of the late Emir Ado Bayero.
By the time the electioneering of 2015 took full shape, Sanusi had been firmly established as the Emir of Kano and his opposition to the government of Jonathan at the time gave the candidacy of former President Muhammadu Buhari an edge, not only in Kano State, but its spiral effects were felt in the North. In the result, the APC candidate polled 1,903,999 votes to defeat Jonathan, who managed to amass 215,779 votes in Kano State. A view of the 2011 election results showed that Jonathan had 440,665 votes, while Buhari, then of the Congress for Progressive Change, had 1,624,543 votes.
After the 2015 election, Sanusi became too powerful for the state. In his six-year reign before he was sacked as emir, Sanusi reinvented himself as a charismatic figure at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. There were many developments in the ancient town during the period, such as the drafting of a new Muslim family law and the construction of a 40,000 books library, among others. He promoted the Durbar festival internationally and was at the centre of Kano modernity, including kicking against early marriage for the girl-child.
He also angered some sections of the town when his daughter represented him at a royal event. Shahida, Sanusi’s daughter, represented him at the inaugural Chibok Girls’ lecture held by the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group. Shahida, who delivered Sanusi’s speech at the event held in Abuja, said representing the emir would be the first time a non-title holder or woman would do so in the North. In a video message to the group, Sanusi also defended his action and said he chose his daughter to represent him at the event because of her passion for gender issues.
Sanusi also spoke out against government policies, breaking with royal tradition. He criticised the government for misplaced priorities and, by 2017, the Emirate Council was under investigation for financial irregularities. Many believed that the probe was because of his stand against the policies and administration of then-Governor Ganduje. The investigation was later called off by the state legislature, following intervention by the ruling class.
The rift with Sanusi made the governor lose his popularity among the elite in the state. In the build-up to the 2019 election, Ganduje was in the heat, as the political situation was not favourable to him. He believed Sanusi’s opposition was shoring up the base of his opponent. The presidential election saw President Muhammadu Buhari coasting home to a comfortable victory over Abubakar Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party, despite the influence of Kwankwaso in the state. But two weeks later, Ganduje won his return election by sheer luck. The election was termed inconclusive and a rerun was ordered in some local governments. It was not smooth sailing to win the second term. At the end of the day, Ganduje polled 1, 033,695, while his rival, Kabir Yusuf of the then PDP, polled 1,024,713 in a keenly contested election. Ganduje won the election with less than 10,000 votes.
On May 8, 2019, the then Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, having defeated his opponent and a few weeks before his inauguration for a second term, signed the law which allowed the creation of four new emirates; Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye out of the old Kano Emirate. The move saw the partitioning of Sanusi’s traditional domain as Emir.
According to the law, out of the 44 local government areas in the state, Sanusi as Emir of Kano will preside over 10 local government areas; with the four new emirates dividing the remaining 34 local government areas. In March 2020, the state legislature launched a new investigation against Sanusi for what it termed a violation of “traditional practices,” after a high court ruling had restrained the corruption investigation against him.
On March 9, 2020, Sanusi was dethroned by then-Governor Ganduje. The governor also announced in his place the appointment of Dr Ado Bayero, the son of the late emir, as the new Emir of Kano. The Kano State government gave the reasons for the dethronement of Sanusi. Among the reasons, The PUNCH learnt, were alleged insubordination, refusal to attend official meetings and breach of Kano Emirate Law.
Before the announcement, members of the Kano House of Assembly had engaged in a free-for-all over an attempt to remove the Emir, though the government’s statement announcing the dethronement said it was a unanimous decision of members of the State Executive Council.
“This removal is made after due consultation with the relevant stakeholders and in compliance with Part 3 Section 13 of the Kano State Emirate Law 2019 and other reasons stated above. The Emir of Kano is in total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the state governor and other lawful authorities, including his persistent refusal to attend official meetings and programmes organised by the government without any lawful justification which amounts to total insubordination. The removal was reached to safeguard the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion, and prestige of the Kano Emirate built over a thousand years,” the statement was quoted.
Sanusi was reportedly in his private residence in Gidan Rumfa when he learnt of his removal, and while waiting for state officials to formally serve him the deposition letter, a contingent of police, military, and security operatives had stormed the palace. His grandfather, Muhammadu Sanusi I, suffered the same fate as he was deposed and exiled in 1963. Sanusi was moved to exile in Awe in Loko, Nasarawa State, against his choice of Lagos. He was escorted out of the palace under heavy guard to a military air base and flown to Abuja, en route to Loko in Nasarawa State, He was relocated to Awe, a remote local government area in Nasarawa State, on March 10, via police helicopter. In March, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the release of Sanusi and he subsequently left Awe together with the then-governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. He had been a private citizen since.
The 2023 election saw the return of political control of Kano State to Kwankwaso, as his party, the New Nigeria People’s Party, won the governorship election. Governor Kabir Yusuf did not hide his plan to revisit the Kano law and return Sanusi as emir. Watchers of the event in the state knew it wouldn’t be long before the emirate law amendment conducted by the Ganduje administration would be repealed. Some believed the plan was shelved in anticipation of the judgment of the Supreme Court.
In a live interview on a Hausa programme aired on local radio in Kano State after the Supreme Court victory for Governor Yusuf, Kwankwaso expressly stated that the issue of the creation of new emirates in Kano State by former Governor Ganduje must be revisited by Governor Abba Yusuf. He said the government of Yusuf would definitely review the “dethronement and balkanisation of the Kano Emirate.”
He said, “Honestly, it is one of the things that nobody has sat with me to discuss so far, but I am sure we are going to sit and see how to go about it. Whether it’s going to be allowed, restructured or whatever, it will definitely be revisited. Whatever is supposed to be done will be done. There are a lot of things involved and this might even be a trap, who knows? But the truth is that all these things were not done in good faith, or with good intention. They were done with some bad intentions which every one of you here and our listeners are aware of.
“Sometimes you come with things that are good and they turn out to be bad, while sometimes you bring things that are bad and they turn out to be good. But all I know is that I was not consulted as of now, but we will come to discuss and see what would be done,” he said.
Also, while delivering his appreciation speech on his victory during a rally at Fili Mahaha on his return to Kano after the Supreme Court verdict, Governor Yusuf was obstructed severally by supporters, chanting, “Sabon Gwamna! Sabon Sarki!” meaning New Governor! New Emir! They also sang songs and chants calling for the reinstatement of Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.
On Thursday, May 23, the Kano State House of Assembly officially passed a bill dissolving all the five emirate councils in the state and returning to the old order pre-Ganduje era. The repeal of the 2019 law by the Kano State House of Assembly marks a significant turning point in the state’s political and cultural landscape. By reversing the division of the Kano Emirate into five separate entities, the Assembly signalled a return to traditional structures in a bid to reaffirm Kano’s historical prestige.
As the state transitions back to the old emirate structure and Emir Sanusi returns in the saddle, the implications for Kano’s political, cultural, and religious spheres will be closely watched, and the game for the 2027 election is now unfolding.
[Punch]
President, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has called for increased investments in the African continent to foster its rapid growth and development.
Speaking at the gathering of private sector leaders in Africa, the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, last week, Dangote emphasized that recent trends underscore Africa’s pivotal role as the future epicenter of global progress.
In a statement, Dangote cautioned against the continent’s overreliance on raw material exports, advocating instead, for strategic investments that will propel indigenous industries.
He urged African nations to resist the urge to export raw materials but to nurture domestic manufacturing capabilities so as to reduce dependency on imported consumer goods.
Dangote said, “Looking ahead, Africa holds the key to its greatness. I’m not merely investing money but dedicating my entire being to this cause. In Africa, possibilities are boundless. It is like a scratch card; you won’t know what is inside unless you scratch it. For some of us, despite the boom of the capital market in the US, we didn’t really participate, rather we invested in Africa.”
[Punch]
Maimunatu Ibrahima has been sworn in as the first female speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament.
Ibrahima, who hails from Togo, was sworn in on Thursday at the second extraordinary session of the parliament in Kano.
She was nominated for the post by members of the parliament from Togo and was elected unopposed.
The ECOWAS parliament operates a rotational system for the speakership using an alphabetical order of countries.
Barau Jubrin, Nigeria’s deputy senate president, previously held the role before Ibrahima’s succession.
Jubrin was initially elected as the first deputy speaker at the inauguration of the sixth legislature of the ECOWAS parliament last month but had to act as speaker to avoid creating a vacuum of leadership after Togo’s absence at the session.
The French-speaking West African country was yet to conduct elections at the time to enable the nation to send its representatives to parliament.
The position was held last by Sierra Leone.
In her acceptance speech, Ibrahima thanked parliamentarians for electing her and assured that she would bring her wealth of experience to bear on the sub-regional parliament.
She also thanked the presidents of Togo, Nigeria, and the authorities of the heads of state for supporting the parliament.
“My priority is to work harmoniously with my colleagues to advance the integration of the West African sub-region,” she said.
Ibrahima previously served as the third deputy speaker in the fifth legislature of the ECOWAS parliament and has been a member since 2021.
[TheCable]
The Kano State House of Assembly on Thursday asked kingmakers to name a new Emir sequel to its annulment of the 2019 emirate law enacted under the former state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration.
The state lawmakers, during plenary passed the amended Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024.
Recall that in March 2020, Ganduje deposed Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano over alleged disregard to lawful instructions from the office of the governor.
Ganduje, using the power in the 2019 law, divided the emirates into five and deposed Sanusi.
Aminu Ado Bayero was then crowned as the new Emir of Kano
However, today, Lawan Yan Gurasa, who sponsored the amended bill, told newsmen that Ado Bayero is no longer the Emir of Kano with the passage of the new legislation.
Gurasa said: “The bill has been sent to the governor for assent. Now, there is no longer an active Emir in Kano in all the five emirates — Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye.
“The law now provides the governor to call on the traditional kingmakers to choose a new king.”
The Department of State Services (DSS) have taken over the palace of the Emir since the amended bill was passed by the lawmakers.
Real Madrid have been named as the most valuable football club in the world by Forbes for the third year in a row, in view of the club’s fortunes valued at 6.6 billion dollars.
According to the list, Real Madrid are on top with a market value of $6.6 billion (€6.08 billion), with Manchester United closely trailing them at $6.55 billion (€6.04 billion).
Barcelona are an entire billion behind their rivals, sitting at a market value of $5.6 billion (€5.16 billion).
This valuation has certainly dropped across the last few years, especially following the departure of Lionel Messi and other marketable superstars.
Liverpool and Manchester City complete the top five, with their respective market values sitting at $5.37 billion (€4.95 billion) and $5.1 billion (€4.7 billion).
Bayern Munich, PSG, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Arsenal round off the top ten list, with values ranging from $5 billion to $2.6 billion.
No. 1 • $6.6 billion
Real Madrid
No. 2 • $6.55 billion
Manchester United
No. 3 • $5.6 billion
Barcelona
No. 4 • $5.37 billion
Liverpool
No. 5 • $5.1 billion
Manchester City
No. 6 • $5 billion
Bayern Munich
No. 7 • $4.4 billion
Paris Saint-Germain
No. 8 • $3.2 billion
Tottenham Hotspur
No. 10 • $2.6 billion
Arsenal
Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 14th Emir of Kano, on Thursday, shared what he discussed with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
While speaking at the ongoing Rivers Economic and Investment Summit in Port Harcourt, Sanusi, who was the keynote speaker at the event, said he told the governor that a lot of young people with first-class degrees are unemployed because they have not been equipped with the right skills.
He said: “The key to economic development is human capital. Investing in people is paramount. Rivers State needs robust education and skills training programmes that essentially aim to prepare youths to be the future for us.
“I was speaking to the governor today, telling him that I’m sure he, as I do, and all of us, have hundreds of CVs of young people who have first class degrees. Unfortunately, they cannot do anything to get a formal job because they have not been equipped with the right skills for this economy.”
He commended the Fubara administration for seeking to chart a new path for growth and prosperity.
He said as an oil-rich state, the natural resource was not enough to turn the fortunes of Rivers around but such feat could be achieved through purposeful leadership.
The summit is Sanusi’s first public appearance since the news of the move to reinstate to the throne broke.
Daily Trust had reported how the Kano Assembly repealed the law which ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje used to dethrone Sanusi in 2020.
The Cross River State Police Command on Thursday has cordoned off the State House of Assembly complex.
This was a sequel to the plot on Wednesday by 17 members of the 25-man assembly to remove the Speaker, Elvert Anyambem over allegations bordering on financial malfeasance.
Confirming the development to The PUNCH, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo said the decision to cordon off the Assembly complex by the police was to prevent the breakdown of law and order across the state.
Recall that 17 members of the Assembly on Wednesday purportedly removed the Speaker over sundry allegations, but the Speaker, through his Chief Press Secretary, Matthew Okache, insisted that he remains the Speaker as there’s no vacancy in the office.
Although the 17 lawmakers, as at the time of filing this report have not named a replacement for the allegedly impeached Anyambem, because, according to them, they are waiting for the governor of the state, Bassey Otu.
Ayambem was reportedly impeached in the early hours of Wednesday by his colleagues over “alleged gross misconduct and administrative high handedness,” while the mace, being the symbol of authority of the House, was taken away after the impeachment degenerated into a fracas, leading to a free-for-all in the hallowed chamber of the Assembly.
The PUNCH gathered that over 20 members of the Assembly reportedly signed up for Anyambem’s impeachment; just as it was gathered that members of the House are presently meeting outside the Assembly to elect a new Speaker.
[Punch]
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The Federal Government said it is deploying an automated border management solutions across its vast borders in order to tackle cross-border banditry and irregular migration.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja shortly after inspecting the e-border management centre as well as the Command and Control Centre for the electronic gates at the airports.
According to him, while the e-border project was over 60 percent completed, the e-Gates Command and Control Centre is now 100 percent completed and awaiting commissioning by President Bola Tinubu. Both centres are domiciled in the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
Addressing Journalists after the inspection, the Minister said; “On the border management solutions, we have gone very far. At the moment, I think we have done 60 percent in terms of deployment because what we saw the other time had to do with the air border solution, which is the Command and Control Centre, the e-Gates that we have. But we are not just talking about air borders or airports, we are also talking about our land borders and even the land borders as we know are more porous – both land and sea borders.
“What we are doing now is automating the whole surveillance system in our border space and real time, we can view a lot of our borders at this moment and I won’t want to disclose more. But the simple truth is we are automating the whole process and I think by October, the Phase 1 of the whole border surveillance system would have been completed and from here we can view, see kilometres away from the border before people even come into Nigeria.
“Also, there is a solution that enables people in the border areas to communicate directly if there is emergency. They can report issues and there are solutions as to how we just don’t take their reports or complaints but that we can swing into actions.
“We want to make our borders as interactive and safe as possible because in the larger perspective, the belief of Mr President is that a secure border is a secure nation. So, securing our border is very key in terms of securing our nation and the administration of President Bola Tinubu is not leaving any stone unturned in the quest of making Nigeria a safe country for people to be able to sleep with their two eyes closed.
“But I can tell you, anyone who thinks that he can perpetrate illegality within our border space should be prepared for the consequences. We are renewing the hopes of Nigerians in all areas of life. This is just Phase 1 and we will soon start Phase 2. We will do it in such a way that the entire 4,447 kilometres of Nigeria’s border is secured. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a step. We have started now and we are not going back until Nigerians can sleep with their two eyes closed”.
On the commissioning of Command and Control Centre for the e-Gates, the minister said the project was already completed and would soon be commissioned.
“We are waiting for Mr President. We have already notified the president and I am happy that the media have seen the place and you know it is 100 percent ready to go”, he stated.
On her part, Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Kemi Nanna Nandap said the officers and men are well motivated and currently undergoing extensive trainings on the e-solutions.
“We are over 60 percent gone with regards to the border management solutions and our officers and men are also being trained currently. We are ready and our officers are well motivated”, she said.
The CGIS explained that the border communities have been sensitized on how to collaborate with the service, adding that the NIS has opened a communication line with the communities in order to be able to get relevant information from them.
[Vanguard]
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree allowing the confiscation of assets inside Russia belonging to the United States, its citizens and companies, to compensate those hit by Western sanctions against Moscow.
The West froze around $300 billion of Russian financial assets, mostly its central bank reserves, after Moscow ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
And the US Congress last month passed a bill that would allow President Joe Biden to use frozen Russian assets in the United States for a special fund to support Ukraine.
The Russian decree will give Russian companies, organisations and individuals that have been hit by sanctions the right to apply for compensation from the Russian government.
The compensation would come in the form of US-owned assets — such as real estate, companies, bank accounts or shares — based in Russia.
Many Western companies have left Russia since it launched its offensive on Ukraine.
Those that remain — or have yet to finalise sales of their Russian businesses — could now be at risk of having their assets seized.
Both Moscow and Western capitals have traded accusations of stealing each other’s property over the asset freezes.
Russia has taken a number of Western-owned businesses under “temporary” state control in the past two years — acts decried by Western leaders and companies as “nationalisation”.
In Europe, where the vast majority of the frozen Russian assets are located, pressure is ramping up over how to use them to support Ukraine.
On Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for the G7 to be more “ambitious” in how it can use the funds to help Kyiv.
AFP
President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive review of the newly announced governing boards of tertiary institutions.
On May 18, the federal ministry of education announced the appointments of 500 persons to serve as pro-chancellors and members of the governing councils of public tertiary institutions across the country.
In a statement on Thursday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy, said the president directed a review due to criticisms that the appointments did not reflect federal character.
“Public reactions showed that the nominations did not reflect the federal character of the country as some states got just one nomination, while some others got many,” Onanuga said.
“In directing a complete review of the list of members, President Tinubu acknowledges the feedback across the country.
“President Tinubu is committed to ensuring strict compliance with the principle of federal character as entrenched in the constitution.
“The review will also take into consideration national spread and ensure every part of the country is adequately represented.”
[TheCable]
he house of representatives has passed a bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem.
The old national anthem is themed: ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’.
The house speedily passed the bill for first, second, and third readings during plenary on Thursday.
More to follow…