After
nearly a year of bitter relations, President Goodluck Jonathan and the
Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, met Thursday in Abuja and reconciled
differences that drove both men to the extremes of their offices.
Sanusi,
a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was fired by the
president in February after accusing the government of diverting $20
billion oil revenues.
The federal government denied the claim, and consequently, accused Mr. Sanusi of “financial recklessness.
After
leaving office, Mr. Sanusi was appointed the Emir of Kano in June,
assuming one of the most powerful traditional stools in Nigeria.
His
appointment by Kano State's Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, an associate
opposition All Progressives Congress, was opposed by the presidency
which ordered the emir's office blockaded for days.
The
emir reportedly initiated peace moves, and both men met for the first
time in July during the breaking of the Muslim fast, an annually routine
in that the president meets top government officials that are Muslims
and other prominent Islamic leaders in the country.
Our sources say Thursday's meeting was essentially for reconciliation between both sides.
The
emir was accompanied to the meeting by all senior members of the Kano
Emirate council, while Vice President Namadi Sambo, the National
Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke, and
the Foreign Affairs Minister, Aminu Wali also attended the meeting.
Officials
at the meeting say the president urged peace, and announced he had
nothing contrary to the emir and he had forgotten precisely what
happened.
In exchange, Mr. Sanusi also preached peace saying he too had forget about the past.
The president and the emir later met privately for approximately 15 minutes, according to the sources.
Mr.
Sanusi and his entourage left for Kano right after, and were on the way
to the Abuja airport during the time with this report.
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