DAILY TRUST
The hopes of the two contending forces in the dispute over the most appropriate claimant to the throne of the Emir of Kano that the simmering disagreement would end by yesterday were dashed after the Federal High Court delivered rulings that left both sides in limbo.
While the court declared the actions taken by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of May 23, 2024, as “null and void”, it stated, however, that its ruling does not affect the validity of the Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Bill 2024, which was passed by the Kano State House of Assembly.
The actions taken by the state governor on May 23, 2024 included the deposition of the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, and the reversal of the status of the emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye emirates to that of district heads, following the collapse of their emirates into Kano Emirate.
Based on the law, the governor had also re-appointed the 14th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, as the 16th Emir of Kano.
Emir Sanusi was deposed in 2020 by Governor Yusuf’s predecessor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who had also enacted the law that divided the Kano emirates into five.
But the state House of Assembly passed a bill on May 22 that repealed the Ganduje-approved law, and passed another in its place. The governor signed the new emirates council law at exactly 5:10pm on May 23, 2024, in the company of his deputy, the Speaker of the State Assembly, and other principal officers of his government. He subsequently announced the deposition of Emir Bayero and the reversal of the creation of the four emirates of Bichi, Rano Karaye, and Gaya.
The governor thereafter announced the appointment of Sanusi II as the new emir of a united Kano Emirate.
Dissatisfied with this, a kingmaker in the former Kano emirate, Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, approached the Federal High Court and secured an ex parte order for the status quo to be maintained.
What the judge said
Delivering the ruling on two motions before the court yesterday, Justice Abdullahi Muhammad- Liman set aside Governor Yusuf’s actions on the matter.
Justice Liman also ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante.
He held that the respondents were aware of the earlier order dated May 23, to maintain status quo, pending the hearing and determination of the case, but went ahead in flagrant disobedience to the order to carry out certain actions.
“I think it is a very serious matter for anyone to flout the orders of the court and go scot-free with it.
“The catastrophic situation could have been averted if the respondents followed due process by complying with the court order, which would still have allowed them to carry out their assignments.
“Having been satisfied that the defendants have become aware of the order but went ahead to implement the law, it is necessary for the court to assume its coercive powers to enforce compliance with its orders.
“In the circumstances, I hereby order that every step or action taken by the respondents in pursuant to Kano Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024 is null and void and is set aside,” Justice Liman ruled.
“However, this order does not affect the validity of the law,’’ the judge added.
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