Jonathan seeks Sanusi’s support for re-election

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday
visited the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, in
his palace in a bid to get the traditional ruler’s
blessing for his re-election bid.
He was in the city in continuation of the Peoples
Democratic Party’s presidential campaigns.
The relationship between the two became strained
last year when the President suspended Sanusi as
the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Jonathan had suspended Sanusi as the apex
bank’s boss over what was described as financial
recklessness and thereafter directed the Financial
Reporting Council of Nigeria to further investigate
him.
Shortly after his suspension, however, Sanusi
became the Emir of Kano following the death of the
former occupant of the stool, Alhaji Ado Bayero.
There were unconfirmed reports then that the
Presidency moved to ensure that Sanusi did not
emerge as the Emir.
During the Wednesday visit, Jonathan
congratulated Sanusi on his installation and
condoled with him and the people of the emirate
on Bayero’s demise.
He told the traditional ruler that he was in his
palace to formally introduce himself, Vice President
Namadi Sambo and other PDP candidates in the
election.
“I am here to seek your royal blessing and to
reassure the people of Kano that the PDP is totally
committed to developing the country,” he told the
monarch.
In his response, Sanusi thanked Jonathan for the
visit and expressed the hope that his campaign in
the state would be hitch-free.
He stressed the need for all office seekers to go
about their campaigns without violence.
“Democracy is all about giving people the chance
to make their choice and so, there is no need for
violence,” he said.
Sanusi urged the people to accept the verdict after
the election and rally around whoever emerged as
the winner.
He also advised the Federal Government to
intensify efforts aimed at ensuring security in all
parts of the country before, during and after the
elections.
Sanusi prayed for the emergence of leaders that
would move the country forward.
Speaking at the Polo Ground venue of the
campaign rally in Kano, the President said that
was why his administration was committed to
producing young entrepreneurs.
He said, “We have said that in those days when
they said Nigeria was at par with other countries,
but those countries overtook us and left us behind.
That will no longer be acceptable by this present
leadership.”
The Vice President, Namadi Sambo, told the
supporters to ignore the religious campaign
against Jonathan and the PDP, saying that as the
vice president to Jonathan, nobody could claim to
be a bigger Muslim than himself who observed all
injunctions of Islam.
The Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who is
the North-West zonal coordinator of the PDP
presidential campaign, told the gathering that the
All Progressives Congress government of Kano
State was a government of deceit.
Recalling the achievements of a former Kano
governor and Minister of Education, Mallam
Ibrahim Shekarau, Lamido advised Kano people not
give in to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s false
pretences but to vote for all PDP candidates.