Kano Governor Denies Snub of Emir, Cites Scheduling Conflict with Governors’ Meeting
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has dismissed media reports claiming he deliberately snubbed the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, during the traditional Hawan Nasarawa festival, labeling the allegations as false and deliberately fabricated to misinform the public.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Monday, the governor explained his absence from the festival’s key event was due to an unavoidable scheduling conflict with the annual strategic meeting of Nigerian governors. The statement clarified that it is a longstanding tradition for state governors to pay homage to the president during the Sallah period, and this year’s Eid-el-Fitr celebrations, which include the Hawan Nasarawa, coincided directly with that national governors’ conclave.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is an established tradition for governors to pay homage to the president during the Sallah period. This year’s Eid-el-Fitr celebration, including the Hawan Nasarawa, coincided with the annual strategic meeting of Nigerian governors, leading to a scheduling conflict that required the governor’s presence outside the state,” the statement read.
The governor’s office detailed that he had formally notified the Emir of his prior commitment. To ensure proper representation, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, alongside other senior officials, was delegated to receive the Emir at the Government House on the governor’s behalf.
The statement further highlighted the governor’s active participation in other Sallah festivities, including the Eid prayer led by the Emir and the subsequent Hawan Daushe in Gaya Emirate. He had also arranged to personally host the Emirs of Rano, Karaye, and Gaya. “However, due to the unavoidable clash in schedules, senior government functionaries were delegated to represent him accordingly,” it added.
At the time of the Hawan Nasarawa procession, Governor Yusuf was confirmed to be in Lagos attending an official engagement with his fellow governors. The government firmly reiterated that there is no rift between the state administration and the Kano Emirate Council, describing their relationship as “cordial, respectful, and anchored on mutual commitment to sustaining peace, unity and development in Kano State.”
Concluding, the statement urged the public to disregard the “false report” and rely solely on credible, official sources for information, characterizing the snub narrative as an attempt to create unnecessary tension. The clarification seeks to reaffirm institutional protocols and the stability of the traditional-government partnership in Kano.
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