Lagos (AFP) - Nigeria's ruling
party has been given another headache in the run-up to next year's
general election, with the appointment of the former central bank
governor to an influential religious post.
Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi was named Emir of Kano on Sunday, making him the second
most-powerful Islamic leader in the country and giving him immediate
influence across the Muslim-majority north.
But
with Sanusi's background and the allegiances of the Kano state governor
who approved his appointment, domestic politics and jockeying for
position before next year's vote have been suspected.
Dapo
Thomas, a political scientist at Lagos state university, said Sanusi,
as a grandson of a former emir and member of a ruling house in the
northern state, had all the right credentials to win.
Kano
state governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was also within his rights to approve
the recommendation of four royal "kingmakers", who met in private to
discuss the succession after the late emir's death on Friday, he said.
But
he added: "Although, he is supposed to be apolitical, Sanusi's choice
may indirectly affect the political fortunes of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan, given the frosty
relationship between them," he said.
"Sanusi
was sacked as CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) governor and I am not sure
he can easily forgive Jonathan and his party for that.
"As
a traditional and religious leader, an emir wields a lot of influence
among the people and this may not augur well for the president and the
PDP," he told AFP.
