Tolu Ogunlesi, the special Assistant on Digital/New Media to President Buhari, says a sitting governor has the power to dethrone any monarch in his state.
Recall that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje dethroned Mallam Sanusi II as Emir of Kano, over offences described as disrespect to the office of the governor and other government agencies.
Ogunlesi made this known in a statement via his official Twitter handle, saying monarchs are appointed and funded by the state governors and so they are answerable to them.
A sitting Governor can dethrone anybody – as in they have the power to. That’s the way the system is set up. Nobody is above being dethroned. Governors formally appoint them, present them staffs of office, fund their offices. Whether this should be so is another matter entirely. https://t.co/7bwwUMrEam
— tolu ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) March 10, 2020
Earlier, The Herald reported that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have vowed to take legal actions against the Kano State Government for the illegal dethronement and detention of Muhammad Sanusi II.
Earlier on, the State Government dethroned Muhammad Sanusi II over what it described as disrespect of lawful instructions from Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State and other lawful authorities.
Just few hours after he was removed, a new Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, was immediately appointed by the state government as the 15th Emir of Kano to replace Sanusi.
Read also: Nigerians React As Ganduje Dethrones Sanusi For Disrespect
However, SERAP via their official twitter handle on Tuesday condemned the action of the State Governor and demanded the immediate release of Sanusi from detention within the next 48 hours.
They tweeted: “We’ll take legal action against Nigerian and Kano state authorities to enforce dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II fundamental right if he is not released from illegal detention within the next 48 hours.
“Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, dethroned Emir of Kano and Muhammad Sanusi II, is an anti corruption and rights activist.
“He’s being persecuted for his critical views and activism. That’s why we will vigorously pursue legal action to enforce his human rights including right to liberty.”
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