A Federal High Court in Kano State has set aside all steps the Kano state government took to repeal the Kano Emirates Council Law.
You would recall that the Kano House of Assembly had repealed the law, after which Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf implemented it by dethroning Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano and also reversed the creation of four emirates, Bichi, Rano Karaye and Gaya, by his predecessor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The law was relied upon to re-appoint the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, dethroned by Ganduje in 2020, as the 16th Emir of Kano.
However, a kingmaker in the former Kano emirate, Aminu Babba Danagundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, challenged the propriety of the law and asked the court, through his counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), to declare the law null and void.
In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman set aside the action of the Kano government, ordering parties to maintain the status quo.
Liam said, “I hereby order that every step taking by the Government is hereby nullified and becomes null and invalid and that this does not affect the validity of the repealed Emirates Law but actions taken by the Governor, which includes the assenting to the Law and the reappointment (of Sanusi).
“I have listened to the audio of the governor both in Hausa and English after assenting to the Law, and I am convinced that the respondents are aware of the order of maintaining status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motions on notice in the court.
“Having been satisfied that the respondents are aware of the court order, the court in exercise of its powers set aside an action because it is in violation of the court’s order, I think it is a very serious matter for anyone to flout the orders of the court and go scot free with it.”