President Mohammed Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said He could not interfere in in the dispute between Abdullahi Ganduje and Muhammadu Sanusi II, emir of Kano.

Buhari said his interference in what is a state’s internal wrangling would amount to violation of the constitution which he swore to uphold.

There have been calls for the president to weigh in on the dispute. On Thursday, Yunusa Danyay, emir of Ningi, pleaded with Buhari to save the sacred traditional institution in the north from being desecrated by urgently intervening in the conflict between Sanusi and Ganduje.

“I am begging the president as a father to all to please in the name of Allah to intervene in the problem happening in Kano and settle this dispute between the Emir and the Governor. I have high hopes that Buhari will not allow the traditional institution to be humiliated and bastardised,” he said.

Responding in a statement by Garba Shehu, his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Buhari said he could not intervene in the dispute between Ganduje and Sanusi because the Nigerian constitution bars him from doing so

“I know my role as the President of Nigeria” Buhari said “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. But let me tell you the bottom line of my understanding of the Constitutional role is that peace and security of all Nigerians must be guaranteed, where the people are threatened, then I will use my constitutional powers.”