Police order appearance of Kano governor’s spokesman over Ganduje’s complaints
The Nigerian police Force has once again ordered that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakintofa, appears at its headquarters in Abuja.
In a letter dated 23rd May, 2025 with file nunmber CR/3000/IGP-SEC/MU/ADM/14/ABJ/VOL 118/57, addressed to the Secretary to Kano State Government, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, asked the state government to release Bature to appear before one SP Mojirode B. Obisiji on Thursday 29th May, 2025.
According to the invitation letter which was signed by the head of IGP Monitoring Unit, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Akin Fakorede, addressed to Kano SSG, “the police is investigating a case of Criminal Defamation of Characters, Intentional Insult, Impersonation and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace, reported to the IGP in which the above mentioned appointee attached to the office of the Executive Governor of Kano State as Chief Press Secretary featured prominently.
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“In view of the above, you are requested to release the said Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa to report for an interview with the undersigned, through SP. Mojirode B. Obisiji on Thursday 29th May, 2025 by 1200hrs at the first floor Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja, to shed more light on the allegation raised.”
The complaint over which Bature was invited is related to an alleged suspension of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, by the APC exco of Ganduje ward in 2024, over what they described as anti-party activities and lack of payment of party dues.
The suspension was alleged to have been masterminded by Bature, who incidentally is also from the Ganduje ward.
The police boss had earlier in December, 2024 issued a similar order with the deployment of operatives of the IGP’s monitoring unit to arrest the governor’s spokesperson and produce him at the force intelligence headquarters in Abuja.
But a state High Court granted a restraining order against the Police, DSS, and other security agencies from arresting him.
The interim injunction, granted on 12th December 2024, shielded Bature from “harassment, detention, and intimidation” by the IGP, DSS, and other security agencies.
The order was also extended to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 1, Commissioner of Police Kano, SP Mojirade Obisiji, DCP Akin Fakorede, Nigerian Civil Defence and Security Corps, and others.
In the suit with number K/M2500/2024, the order of the court barred any action that could infringe upon Bature’s fundamental rights to liberty, dignity, and freedom of movement.
The court also directed that all legal documents be served to the respondents, including the APC and senior police officers, through special bailiffs.
After hearing the motion on notice, the High Court dismissed Bature’s case against Ganduje and the Inspector General of Police.
Bature’s lawyer, H.M. Muhammad said he had already appealled the judgement.
Ganduje had alleged that Bature was the mastermind of his suspension in an attempt to cripple his political influence.
Ganduje and Bature are not new to political clash. In 2015, Ganduje, as governor-elect, reportedly ordered his arrest over his opposition during that year’s gubernatorial election.
The governor’s spokesperson played vital roles in all the elections at Ganduje’s home town in which the APC national chairman, his son and political allies participated.
As the 2027 approaches, the local politics in Ganduje ward keeps intensifying, escalating the anymosity between NNPP and APC and, by extension, between Ganduje and Sanusi.
Ganduje is poised to have his son Abba contest as a member of the House of Representatives, a plan Bature is seen to be working to thwart.
