By Salejo Ali Kano
Newspointer June 21, 2024
A Federal High Court in Kano state North West Nigeria, has set aside actions taken by Kano state government to dethrone Aminu Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano.
In a ruling, Justice Abdullahi Liman held that, all actions carried out after passage of the Kano Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024 are null and void.
The Court held that, “I hereby ordered 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by the Government is hereby nullified and becomes null and invalid and that, this does not affect the validity of the repealed Emirates Law but actions taken by the Governor, which includes the assenting to the Law and the reappointment of Sanusi as Emir.
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.” Justice Liman held.
The Court held that, the situation could have been averted if the respondents followed due processes by complying with the court order, which would still have allowed them to carry out their assignments.
Recalled that, the Kano state House of Assembly had repealed the Emirate Council law after which Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf implemented it by dethroning Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano and reappointing Mohammadu Sanusi as Emir of Kano.
The Governor also reversed the creation of four emirates, of Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya, which were created by the immediate past Governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Dissatisfied with the developments, a kingmaker in the former Kano emirate, Aminu Babba Danagundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, challenged the position of the law and asked the court, through his counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), to declare the law null and void.
The court after nullifying the actions of Government that saw the reappointment of Emir Sanusi, ordered parties involved to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motions on notice in the court.