Emir Muhammed Sanusi

Kano Emirate Council has debunked rumours going round that Emir Muhammad Sanusi II inherited N4 billion from his predecessor, Alhaji Ado Bayero.

The Emirate Council said this on Monday while reacting to the plan by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhyi Magaji to probe complaints of “questionable expenditures and financial misappropriations” in the emirate.

Although Magaji did not state the specific amount that was allegedly misappropriated, some reports gave the amount as N4billion.

However, the Walin Kano, Alhaji Mahe Bashir said before the appointment of the Emir, the Emirate Council had only N2,875,163,17 under various banks as fixed deposit.

“Out of this amount, N981,784,504,79 was withdrawn and used during the reign of late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero for the payment of Ado Bayero Royal City Project.

Bashir said it was the balance of N1,893,378,927,38, that Emir Sanusi inherited.

He said the allegation of misappropriation was borne out of a calculated and unfounded media spin to tarnish the image of the Emir.

“This allegation was only to create unnecessary controversy. Financial impropriety was not in the character of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, as a thoroughbred royal scion”, he said.

According to him, the projects currently being executed after the death of Bayero were approved by the government of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the predecessor of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

He said the allegation of embezzlement being bandied about was unwarranted when the Emir is making effort to reposition the Emirate Council on a sound pedestal.

Bashir stressed that Sanusi would forever seek to uphold with vigour the sanctity and credibility of the Kano monarchy.

He said the Emirate Council has no axe to grind with the Kano state Public Complaints and anti-Corruption Commission, over the plans to probe the Emirati account.

“The hands of the Kano emirate council were clean as far as the issue of financial management was concerned”, he said.

The Emirate Council is expected to honour the summons of the anti-corruption agency on May 2, 2017.

Sanusi is not new to controversy.

As governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, he carried out tough decision, sacked bank CEOs and cracked down on rogue banks.

He was sacked by former president Goodluck Jonathan after exposing a missing $20 billion from oil proceeds.

He was appointed the Emir of Kano on 8 June 2014, as successor to Ado Bayero , who had spent about 50 years on the throne.

(NAN)