The Kano state House of Assembly has passed the Kano State Emirates Council Amendment Bill, abolishing four newly created emirates in the state.
Governor Kabir Yusuf is expected to sign the bill into law any moment from now.
The Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Bill, 2024, was sponsored by Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa, the majority leader and member representing the Dala Constituency.
Here is what you should know about the controversial law below.
The Kano State Emirates Council Law 2019 which created five new emirates was first assented to by ex-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on December 5, 2019.
The governor signed amendments to the law on October 14, 2020, and April 11, 2023.
Section 3(1) of the law established five distinct emirates: Kano, Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye. Kano and Karaye have eight local government areas each, Bichi and Gaya have nine each, and Rano has ten out of the 44 local councils in the state.
It was believed that the law was targeted at deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi.
When Sanusi, who chaired the council, was deposed on March 9, 2020, the law was amended to state: “There shall be the chairman of the council who shall be the emir, Kano Emirate.”
Section 12 provides that the governor may grade the office of an emir first, second, or third class with the approval of the House of Assembly.
With the new amendment passed by the house of assembly, all positions created by the previous law are no longer valid once the governor assent to the bill. Additionally, all district leaders promoted or assigned under the previous law are required to return to their former roles.
Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), might be reinstated as emir of Kano once Yusuf signed the amendment passed by the house of assembly.
