Kano emirate crisis: Court set aside amended law dethroning Aminu Bayero as emir

Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano has set aside the amended Kano emirate law enacted by the Kano State House of Assembly, and all subsequent actions taken by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf as regards the law.

The assembly had recently repealed the law enacted under the previous administration of Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, which was implemented by the incumbent Governor  Abba and resulted in the dethronement of  Aminu Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano.

The law was relied upon to re-appoint the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who was dethroned by Ganduje in 2020, as the 16th Emir of Kano.

The dethronment was challenged by  Aminu Babba Danagundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, in the court by his counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), which Justice Liman declared null and void.

Delivering his ruling on Thursday, Justice  Muhammad Liman set aside the action of the Kano government, ordering parties to maintain the status quo.
Before today ‘ ruling BusinessDay noted that Governor ABBA also reversed the creation of four emirates, Bichi, Rano Karaye and Gaya, by his predecessor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The  Kano division of the Federal High Court presided by Justice Muhammad Liman is set to deliver a ruling on the repealed Kano Emirate Law today.  The court had earlier ruled that it has jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on the fundamental human rights of Aminu Babba DanAgundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, who challenged the amendment of the Law by the state assembly as a violation of his basic human right.

Respondents in the case include the Kano State government, state house of assembly, speaker of the state assembly, attorney general and commissioner for justice, commissioner of police, inspector-general of police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Directorate of State Security (DSS).

In an earlier sitting, the federal high court had listened to both parties in the case and had set June 20, 2024 (today) as the date for ruling in the case filed by DanAgundi.

The issue is that the court continued hearing the case even as the state government announced its intention to appeal the court’s ruling on the issue of jurisdiction. The Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, had enthroned Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 14th Emir of Kano, as the new Emir after amending the Emirate Law and abolishing the five emirates, returning the state to one emirate.