In a twist to the development over the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano, a Kano Federal High Court presided over by Justice Liman has granted an ex-parte order temporarily stopping the Kano State Government led by Governor Abba Yusuf from proceeding with same.
The order was given in response to a suit numbered FHC/KN/CS/182/2024 filed by Aminu Babba-Dan’Agundi (Sarkin Dawaki Babba), seeking to prevent the reinstatement of Sanusi, who was dethroned in 2020 by the previous administration, led by Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Joined in the suit as defendants are;
Kano Government, Kano State House of Assembly, The Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Attorney General of Kano State, Commissioner of Police, Kano State, Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Security (DSS).
According to the court papers sighted by InsideBusinessng, Justice Liman, “after careful consideration of Application and submission of the Counsel” said;
“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage the
and assent of the bill into pending hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.
“That In view of the Constitutional and Jurisdictional Issues apparent on the
face of the application, parties shall address the Court on same at the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.
“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an Interim Injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the Respondents from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalizing the Kano State Emirate Law Council (Repeal) Law.
“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.”
He therefore adjourned the case to 3rd June, 2024 for hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.”
Recall that Governor Abba Yusuf had on Thursday announced the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi shortly after signing a new bill on the Kano Emirate into law.
While thanking the state Assembly for performing their constitutional duties, Yusuf said the event was historic, noting that the Kano state Emirate law 2019 that divided the over 1000 years Kano Emirate into five has been repealed.
The original law, enacted under former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on December 5, 2019, was amended twice: first on October 14, 2020, and again on April 11, 2023. Section 3(1) of the law had established the five distinct emirates, distributing jurisdiction over the 44 local government areas in the state.
Following the deposition of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi on March 9, 2020, the law was amended to designate the Emir of Kano as the chairman of the council.
Section 12 of the law allowed the Governor to grade emir offices as first, second, or third class with the Assembly’s approval.
