No fewer than 70 prominent indigenes of Kano State and 22 civil society organisations (CSOs) have charged newly appointed emirs to resign their appointments in the interest of peace and tranquility in Kano.

Besides, the concerned individuals and groups have sought urgent intervention of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar and denounce the creation of additional emirates in Kano.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had signed the Appointment and Deposition Act. 2019, which paved ways for balkanisation of the Kano Emirate council into four.

Subsequently, four new emirs were appointed for Rano, Gaya, Bichi and Karaye, with first class status.

But speaking at a media briefing yesterday on behalf of The Renaissance Coalition in collaboration with the CSOs and other stakeholders, Abdulrahman Baffa Yola, asked Governor Ganduje to rather dissipate his energy towards tackling the socio-economic and development challenges in Kano.

Besides, he lamented the hasty passage of Appointment and Deposition Act, 2019, which lasted only 48 hours and without due legislative process.

“Kano State has over two million Almajiris roaming the streets, without any tangible and sustainable intervention to checkmate the ugly situation.

“Kano leads in substance and drugs abuse, we have the highest number of school drop outs and congested classrooms in the country, with over 150–200 pupils in one class,” he stated.

Abdulrahman also urged Ganduje to tackle unemployment and provide jobs for the 3.5 million unemployed youths in Kano and provide education for the over two million girls who do not attend formal school in Kano.

He also enjoined the governor to provide potable water for the over five million people who do not have access to clean drinking water and delist Kano from the list of states with the highest maternal mortality rate in Nigeria and not the creation of new emirates.

Another member of the coalition, Barrister Saida Sa’ad, accused the State House of Assembly of violating legislative process and giving undue attention to what she described as an unpopular bill.

•Text (excluding headline) courtesy of The Guardian.

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