A leading Northern political activist, Hajiya Naja’atu Muhammad, has raised fresh concerns over what she described as a creeping attempt by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to consolidate power through undemocratic means, including the possible imposition of emergency rule in some states.
Speaking during an interview with Premier Radio in Kano, Naja’atu alleged that recent political developments suggest a calculated move by the federal government to exert control over certain states, especially those perceived to be politically strategic ahead of future elections.
Citing the recent intervention in Rivers State, she warned that elected officials and lawmakers across the country could be targeted in a broader power consolidation strategy.
“Kano is a prime example,” she said. “They are trying to provoke a crisis to justify declaring emergency rule. The situation around the Kano Emirate has been unnecessarily escalated by the federal government for political motives.”
Naja’atu further accused the government of deliberately fanning the flames of controversy in Kano, insisting that the majority of residents are more interested in their day-to-day survival than traditional leadership disputes.
“This is exactly what they tried to do in Kano. That’s why there is the Kano Emir, and then there is the Federal Government’s Emir,” she said, suggesting that the crisis was orchestrated to create a pretext for federal intervention.
She also raised the alarm over what she described as a looming threat to democratic institutions, alleging that the federal government could influence the removal of elected senators and officials under the guise of restoring order or conducting fresh elections.
Naja’atu called on Nigerians to remain alert and resist any actions that could erode democratic norms or threaten the autonomy of states.