CSOs To Tinubu: Save Kano From Imminent Political Crisis

The Kano Patriotic CSOs Coalition Forum has implored President Bola Tinubu to swiftly step in to avert a potential political and institutional crisis in Kano State. In a joint letter addressed to the President, the coalition, led by Hassan Ibrahim Gama, Mustapha Muhammed Chiroma and Peter Hassan Tijjani, appealed for immediate intervention.

Copies of the letter were also dispatched to key security figures including the National Security Adviser, Inspector-General of Police, Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency.

The coalition expressed concerns over a video purportedly showing a Kano State House of Assembly candidate, Aminu Abdullahi Warkal, brandishing a pump-action rifle at a political event in Janbulo. The group emphasized that while the police had invited the candidate for questioning, the circumstances surrounding the incident were still under investigation.

The coalition urged political actors, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community influencers to refrain from inflammatory language or actions that could incite confrontation. They emphasized the need for security agencies to closely monitor the situation and take preventive measures against violence, intimidation, hate speech and property destruction. The coalition also called for political appointees to stay out of the Kano Emirate dispute, especially court-related matters.

Moreover, the group emphasized equal protection for all political parties, candidates and their supporters, and urged the federal government to investigate incidents involving the destruction of political posters and campaign materials. They proposed an inclusive peace dialogue involving various stakeholders, including the federal and Kano State governments, traditional institutions, political parties, security agencies, religious leaders, youth, women, and civil society organizations.

The coalition stressed the importance of Kano to Nigeria due to its commercial, cultural and political significance, describing the current situation as an early-warning stage. They urged the President to take preventive measures to prevent the crisis from escalating into conflict, stating, "We respectfully call on Your Excellency to act now, before tension becomes crisis and crisis becomes conflict."