Muhammad Sanusi II, the fourteenth Emir of Kano, voiced strong criticism towards Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the Kano All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate.
Sanusi II accused Gawuna of lacking graceful acceptance following his defeat in the Kano gubernatorial appeal at the Supreme Court.
The former Emir asserted that the opposition consistently demonstrated a lack of faith in the people’s choice, a sentiment evident from the tribunal and appeal courts leading up to their final defeat in the Supreme Court.
He made this revelation during a virtual Islamic book presentation on social media.
Sanusi II condemned the practice of denying citizens their rightful choice after casting their votes, emphasising the importance of respecting the fundamental right of citizens to vote for their chosen leaders.
Sanusi II highlighted a disturbing trend where election losers resort to the courts to forcefully seize power, only recognizing Allah’s decision when faced with the Supreme Court’s verdict. He urged the public to maintain a spirit of resilience in the face of judicial decisions.
Sanusi articulated, “Something peculiar is happening; after people cast their votes and lose the election, they resort to the courts to forcefully seize power. They encountered Allah in the final court, and only then did they claim to believe in Allah’s decision.”
He concluded by offering prayers and counsel to the current governor of Kano State, emphasizing the need for a fair and democratic process in the upcoming elections.
Gawuna had earlier stated that “Our supporters should understand that Allah, the Almighty, is the designer of everything and has destined this to happen. Everyone should calm down and accept God’s decision.
“This is what all leaders should do after exhausting court processes. Even before the litigation, I wished him well. Our prayers are always to Allah to make him a just leader for all, especially now that he has been affirmed as the duly elected governor of the state. Every patriotic citizen should pray so.
“We will keep on praying for all our leaders, from the president down to councillors, to be leaders for all.
“My message to the people of Kano State is to live in peace and to be obedient. They should be firm on moral upbringing, which is degenerating. People should keep on praying. God does not err. He is all-knowing. We should keep on praying for peace in Kano State and Nigeria in general, and we should ask Allah to bestow upon us richness and good health.
“Everybody knows what happened. Our party, which is above all, took the matter to court, and we followed. After the processes, Allah, the Almighty, decided, and we have accepted His decision.
“Islamic religion is a total way of life. We are praying to Allah to grant us the opportunity to do what is right, and we are optimistic that He will keep on assisting us.
“Whoever knows Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna knows that our future lies in the hands of Allah. He would decide for us,” Mr Gawuna said