Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has warned the state governor-elect, Abba Kabir-Yusuf, against causing confusion by issuing official pronouncements.
Mr Ganduje gave the warning in reaction to an earlier advisory issued by Mr Yusuf, asking individuals and organizations to discontinue ongoing private developments within and around public buildings across the state.
In a statement by the state commissioner for information and internal affairs, Muhammad Garba, Mr Ganduje asked the governor-elect to desist from making such pronouncements, saying he was still in charge.
He said: “The action of the governor-elect amounts to jumping the gun by issuing directive on a matter affecting government laid down policy while the incumbent is yet to run his full term.”
He added that as far as the division of power is concerned as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he remains the governor with executive powers until May 29.
According to him, he reserves the right to carry out his functions in public interest even on the eve of his exit.
“Until he subscribes to the oath of office as governor in May 29, he remains what he is-a governor-elect and does not have the powers of the governor.
“All he can do is to reverse some of the actions taken by his predecessor when he assumes office if there is a valid reason to do so. No governor-elect has the constitutional or legal powers to determine the direction of a state until he is sworn in,” the statement added.
Mr Ganduje noted that as governor, he wields enormous powers to allocate plots of land, emphasising that every government had undertaken such exercise, including the previous administration which the governor-elect served.
He also stated that based on available records, the previous administration has made land allocations in some of the public places the governor-elect categorically mentioned which include the city wall, with allocation of land from Kofar Nassarawa to Kofar Mata; shops at the Kofar Mata Eid Prayer Ground facing the Orion Cinema; and from Kofar Mata to ‘Yan Yashi opposite the Eid Ground; and from Kofar Kabuga to Kofar Famfo facing the old campus of Bayero University.