From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, took a stand on the creation of more Emirates in Kano by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, making it clear that he has no constitutional right to interfere.
President Buhari said that issue was entirely the business of Ganduje and Kano State House of Assembly.
According to a statement signed by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, President Buhari spoke at the Presidential Villa, while receiving Kano Federal Lawmakers who emerged victorious in the recent re-run elections.
“I know my role as the President of Nigeria. By the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor of Kano State has his own roles, once a matter is in the hands of the House of Assembly (like in Kano), the President has no constitutional right to interfere. I am here by the constitution, I swore by it, and I am going to stand by it,” he stated.
Buhari, however, advised the newly elected legislators to live up to the mandate given to them by the people of their constituencies.
He reminded them that, “I hope you are mindful of your promises to your constituencies. You went round and you promised your constituencies. I hope the promises you made are within the resources of your State. If you made promises outside your resources, it will be your problem because you are going to stand again in four years time. This is very important and it is important for our party.”
Speaking during the visit , Ganduje who presented the lawmakers to President Buhari, thanked him for the visible presence of the Federal Government projects in Kano state, like the Kano – Abuja road reconstruction, construction of modern railway from Kaduna to Kano, and from Kano to Niger Republic, among others.
He also mentioned the Gas pipeline from Ajaokuta to Kaduna and from Kaduna to Kano (AKKK), continuation of the abandoned dualisation of Kano – Katsina highway, construction and equipping of the New Terminal Wing of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
“We are also appreciative of the efforts being put by the federal government in the areas of security and education in the state. This is highly commendable,” he stated.
Ganduje informed Buhari that the state under his administration has done well in the area of security, adding that, “we have done a lot in the area of security, even installing CCTV cameras in black spots and all major routes into Kano state. We also have a multi-purpose vehicle for monitoring, which has helped in arresting kidnappers and Boko Haram terrorists. We have also established an Army Training Area.”
Ganduje further stated that, “we used to have One Million out-of-school children but now we are down to about 400,000 on account of the new education policy which now makes schooling free and compulsory from basic to secondary school, complemented with free feeding, free uniforms and free instructional materials.”
According to him, by way of further strengthening the free and compulsory education and the integration of the Almajiri system of education, his administration recruited 600 Mathematics and English teachers, while 3,000 teachers for Almajiri schools for the purpose of integration system.
“Your Excellency our President, we are kindly requesting Federal Government intervention for the completion of the Kano River Irrigation scheme, establishment of a Federal Medical Centre and Desilting of the 24 Dams in the our state,” Ganduje noted.
Those in the company of Ganduje to the Presidential Villa, were all members of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) from Kano state, Speaker of the House of Assembly and other principal officers, Emir of Bichi, Aminu Ado Bayero who represented other Emirs, members of the business community like Alhaji AbdulManafi Yunusa Sarina, the owner of Azman Air, members of the Academia, like Prof. Ibrahim Umar, former Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano, Ulama among others.
