On Tuesday, former Kano State governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje publicly acknowledged Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano, one of Nigeria’s most influential traditional rulers, and Chairman of the Kano State Council of Emirs.
He made the statement during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Deputy Governor, Murtala Sule Garo, at the Government House in Kano.
Ganduje addressed Sanusi using his full traditional title, signaling formal recognition. This is the first time he has done so publicly since a long-running leadership dispute within the Kano Emirate, a prominent traditional institution in northern Nigeria.
The conflict dates back to 2020, when Ganduje, then governor, removed Sanusi from his role as Emir. After the current governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, took office, he reinstated Sanusi and replaced Aminu Ado Bayero.
That decision sparked widespread controversy and deepened divisions within the royal family, reflecting the significant political and cultural influence of traditional leadership in the region.