Yusif Abdullahi Ata, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, has warned Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, 2023 presidential candidate for the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), to avoid making “contemptuous statements” regarding the ongoing legal dispute over the Kano Emirate Council.

Ata’s warning follows Kwankwaso’s recent comments alleging that Lagos is attempting to influence the selection of the Emir of Kano.

At a recent event at Skylight University, Kwankwaso claimed that Lagos was working to destabilize the region and prevent Kano from choosing its Emir freely, stating, “Lagos wouldn’t allow us to choose our Emir.”

Ata responded by stressing that the matter is still before the courts and warned that such remarks could be seen as contempt. He called on political leaders to make responsible statements that promote unity, rather than sow division, and urged them to focus on actions that foster national harmony.