TheCable

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano state, has suspended Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, his spokesperson, for purportedly criticising President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ganduje announced Tanko-Yakasai’s suspension on Sunday in a statement by Muhammad Garba, the state’s commissioner for information.

Tanko-Yakasai had called on Buhari to address the nation over calls by Nigerians to disband the special anti-robbery squad (SARS) unit of the police.

“To speak to ur own ppl over issues that are bedevilling them has become something like a favour u’re doing to them. Over & over again, u cannot spare 5mins & address the nation to calm them down, the same people u went to the 36 states to beg for their votes, its heartbreaking,” Tanko-Yakasai wrote on Twitter.

In another tweet he has now deleted, he said the president lacks empathy for failing to speak to Nigerians.

“I have never seen a government with zero empathy like that of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“So many times when his people are going through a difficult time and expect some sort of tap on shoulder to reassure them that he is in charge, but he failed to do so.”

To speak to ur own ppl over issues that are bedevilling them has become something like a favour u're doing to them. Over & over again, u cannot spare 5mins & address the nation to calm them down, the same people u went to the 36 states to beg for their votes, its heartbreaking.

— Peacock (@dawisu) October 11, 2020

But Ganduje described the statement as” unguarded utterances”.

The governor said though Tanko-Yakasai said the statement is his personal opinion, “it will be difficult to differentiate between personal opinion and official stand on matters of public concern”.

He warned political appointees and public servants to guard against making statements capable of generating controversy.

Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, on Sunday announced the disbanding of SARS after aggrieved Nigerians protested against brutality and extra judicial killings by the police unit.