Absence of constitutional roles for traditional rulers opens them to blackmail, ridicule, says Sani

Following the decision by the Kano State Government to reduce the power and influence of the Emir of Kano, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani said that absence of defined constitutional roles for royal fathers in the country have made them vulnerable to blackmail and ridicule by the Government.

In a comment by Sani yesterday, he pointed out that the absence of clearly defined roles in the constitution makes traditional rulers vulnerable to the abuse of power, victims of blackmail and pawns and punching bags in the political chess game of their respective states. “During elections, they are forced to campaign for their state governors and the ruling parties in their respective states or risk being dethroned. A Traditional ruler who wants to survive must be stupidly loyal, dumb and humiliatingly subservient and one that must always distance himself from the political adversaries of the Governor in office”, he stated.

“The rulers are also not free of blame as most of them have bastardized and commercialized the institution by dispensing titles to people in government and those that can pay.”

“Without constitutional protection, traditional rulers will continue to be forced by their governors to behave like party executives or political appointees or be dethroned,” Sani warned.