Sanusi Removal: I cannot say categorically if Buhari intervened, but if the president did, “I’ll be surprised that we got to this point”- Abdulsalami

Nigeria’s former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, on Wednesday disclosed that his committee made efforts to reconcile Abdullahi Ganduje and Muhammadu Sanusi II, the former emir of Kano, but failed.

According to him, after the committee submitted its report to the President Muhammadu Buhari, he “expressed willingness” to intervene.

Abubakar who spoke in an interview with Voice of Amarica (VOA), Hausa service, further stated that he cannot say categorically if Buhari intervened, but that if the president did, “I’ll be surprised that we got to this point”.

Abubakar was appointed as chairman of the reconciliation committee set up to intervene in the crisis between Sanusi and Ganduje in 2019.

Abubakar said: “Well, I can say so in view of the latest development. In my view, all the committee’s efforts are wasted.”

“After conclusion of the assignment, we realised that there was amicable resolution to the crisis. Surprisingly, this is what happened at last,” Abubakar said.

“I can’t really say whether Buhari has a hand in the matter because I am currently not in Nigeria. But before I left the country, we submitted our report to him, and he expressed willingness to intervene in the matter in order to have amicable resolution, despite being a constitutional matter. I really don’t know if he had intervened.

“The way this is, I don’t know if he was was involved or not. There are signs that he did because of this our report but I can’t be completely sure, but if he involved himself, I’ll be surprised that we got to this point. But then you know no matter what was said, no matter the advice given, it is what Allah had willed to happen and there’s no one who can change it.

The Kano executive council led by Ganduje, the state governor, on Monday dethroned Sanusi as emir, accusing him of insubordination and banished him to Nasarawa State.