Convene Security Meeting with Political Leaders to Avert Violence, Sanusi Tells Ganduje 

By Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II has called on the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to convene a security meeting with political leaders and security agents to come up with a strategy to avert any form of violence, ahead of 2019 general elections.

 Sanusi stressed the need for political leaders to address thuggery that usually breeds political violence during elections in the country.

‘’Once the political class refuses to play politics according to the rule of the game, there is every tendency that many people could lose their lives as a result of their action or inaction,” he said.

The Emir made the call yesterday at the Kano State Government House during the traditional Hawan Nasarawa, when the Emir paid homage to Ganduje as part of activities, marking the Eid-el-Fitr.

“It is high time the politicians be cautioned against promoting hatred among one another or any anything capable of jeopardising peace as an ingredient of social co-existence,” Sanusi added.

 Sanusi called on the state government to take decisive measures against drug abuse.

“We have seen how drugs impacted negatively on our youths and the urgent need to take drastic measures to address the menace. We have to also prioritise the issue of health and education for us to have a decent society,” he said.

He also advised the governor to accord priority to the education sector as no society in the world can develop than the level of impacting education of its people.

“The issue of healthcare services should be the cardinal concern of the Government and how to also sustain the fight against drugs abuse,” Sanusi said.

He hailed Ganduje for the rehabilitation of the Emir’s Palace (Kofar Kudu), which has uplifted the status of the Emirate.

Responding, Ganduje decried the conduct of some politicians, who are hell bent on attacking political opponents in order to smear their names and their reputation, which they have built over the years.

According to the governor, the present day political class are dangerously playing with words in the local media to denigrate the status of their opponent in the eyes of the general public.

“Having critically observed what is going on this time round, we decided to invite leaders of about 53 political parties in the state and mobilize them on the need to avoid politics of condemnation and attack on personalities. I feel that once this trend is allowed to continue unchecked, people of integrity might not be willing to participate in politics, tackles of contributing their quota to national development,” he added.

Ganduje posited that what is obtained in this state is a far cry from what is obtainable in the Southern part of the country, where highly responsible personalities are seen participating in politics and retire home with their image intact after a meritorious service to their people.

In a related development, the governor has disclosed that the state government would soon partner media organisations, especially radio and television stations to work assiduously against hate speeches during political activities.

He made the disclosure during Hawan Daushe celebration at the Africa House, Government House, Kano, when the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, paid a homage visit to the governor to facilitate with the government on Sallah celebration. 

“We are putting in place an effective mechanism to check unwanting political behaviours. That is why we have in the pipeline, a plan to include media practitioners, especially from radio and television stations to see how they can help our society through cleansing all media contents against hate speeches,” he said.

Ganduje lamented that some unguided politicians use the media to promote unguided political utterances, emphasising that, “we will continue doing our best in curtailing such hate speeches that are not good but detrimental to democratic development.”