The Director General of Information and Communication to the Kano State Governor, Mallam Sunusi Bature, has accused the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, of deploying 46 armed security personnel to arrest him.
Bature alleged that Ganduje’s actions stemmed from reports of the APC chairman’s suspension by his ward executives.
A Kano High Court has restrained the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies from arresting Bature.
This followed allegations by Ganduje accusing Bature of orchestrating his suspension at the ward level six months ago. On December 12, 2024, the court granted an ex-parte order shielding Bature from what his legal team described as “harassment and intimidation.”
The order, according to the suit numbered K/M2500/2024, prohibits any action that could violate Bature’s fundamental rights to liberty, dignity, and freedom of movement. It also extends to several officers, including the AIG Zone 1, Kano State Commissioner of Police, and SP Mojirade Obisiji.
Ganduje alleged that Bature, alongside the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)-led Kano State Government, conspired to orchestrate his suspension—a move he described as an attempt to weaken his political influence.
Acting on Ganduje’s petition, the IGP summoned Bature and Ganduje’s APC ward executives to Abuja, accusing them of conspiracy and actions likely to breach public peace.
The political tension between Ganduje and Bature reflects a broader power struggle between Ganduje and his predecessor, Senator Musa Kwankwaso. This rivalry has also strained relations between Ganduje and the current governor, Abba Yusuf.
Bature’s legal team, led by Barr. Haruna Musa Muhammad, countered the summons with a lawsuit, describing the IGP’s actions as politically motivated and aimed at discrediting Bature.
The court also directed that legal documents be served to all respondents, including the APC and senior police officers, through special bailiffs.
The animosity between Bature and Ganduje dates back to 2015, when Ganduje, as governor-elect, reportedly ordered Bature’s arrest for campaigning against him during that year’s gubernatorial election.
In this latest incident, Ganduje reportedly informed the IGP that Bature masterminded his suspension by the APC ward executives. As a result, 40 police officers from the IGP Monitoring Unit were allegedly mobilized to Kano to apprehend the governor’s spokesperson after he declined the IGP’s invitation.
Efforts to reach the National Police Spokesperson (FPPRO) were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered. Bature also declined to comment, stating that the matter is sub judice.
The case is scheduled for its next hearing on January 22, 2025.
