A Federal High Court in Kano has issued an order preventing the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law, effectively halting the reinstatement of Lamido Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.
The order, granted by Justice Mohammed Liman, came in response to an application by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate. The court papers regarding the case have since gone viral, igniting widespread debate and speculation.
This development has cast a spotlight on the ongoing political power struggle between the Kano State Government and federal authorities. The situation has been described by many as a manifestation of deeper political tensions and power tussles involving two former governors of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Umar Ganduje.
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On Thursday, the Kano State House of Assembly passed legislation dissolving the four newly created emirate councils in the state. This legislative move paved the way for reinstating Sanusi, who was dethroned four years ago by the former governor, Ganduje.
Following the passage of the legislation, Governor Abba Yusuf promptly reappointed Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.
“By the powers conferred on me by the Kano Emirate Council Law of 1984 and 2024, and supported by the recommendation of the kingmakers, I have the singular pleasure of confirming the reappointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano and the head of the Kano Emirate Council,” Yusuf said.
However, the unfolding drama has brought an unprecedented twist to the reinstatement process, stymieing Sanusi’s reenthronement. The former CBN governor, who was seen riding a horse with the royal umbrella, spoke on his reinstatement.
“We made it clear that God has preordained time and cause for everything and everyone. He gave leadership to whom he wanted and at the time he wanted. When He gives, no one can take it away and when he takes it away, nobody can take it back,” Sanusi said after he was presented with a letter of reinstatement by the governor and was turbaned at the Government House Kano.
Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, accused Ganduje of leveraging “federal might” to impose Aminu Bayero, the deposed Emir, against the will of the people of Kano. During a press conference after escorting Sanusi to the Kano Emirate palace, Gwarzo alleged, “Ganduje is using the federal might and conniving with the NSA to impose Bayero against the wish of people of Kano.”
Gwarzo detailed that Ganduje and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had arranged for aircraft to convey Bayero back to Kano to reclaim the throne.
“We will not accept this as a government and the people of Kano, nobody will impose anything of his interest on us,” he asserted.
The situation on the ground has been tense, with heavy security and military personnel deployed to protect Bayero. Supporters of Bayero were seen at the Nassarawa palace, chanting verses from the Holy Quran and showing their allegiance.
Amid these tensions, Muazu Magaji, a former commissioner under Ganduje’s administration, confirmed plans to return Bayero to the palace. Magaji’s Facebook post on Saturday suggested imminent action: “Now the emir’s flag has been mounted on his car. We are making preparation to take to the palace,” he said.
Yusuf, in reaction to these developments, criticized the court order stopping Sanusi’s reinstatement, claiming that the judge responsible was out of the country. He said the judge is currently on vacation in the United States and thus had no jurisdiction over the matter.
The governor had earlier ordered the immediate arrest of Ado Bayero, saying he was creating tension in the state. But the police said they would obey the order of the court which restrained the governor from reinstating Sanusi.
The Federal High Court’s decision to halt the enforcement of the Emirate Council Repeal Law means that the final decision on Sanusi’s reinstatement now rests with the judiciary. This has added another layer of complexity to the already fraught political landscape in Kano.
As the state braces for potential clashes and further legal battles, the power struggle between Kano’s state government and federal authorities continues to unfold, with significant implications for the future of the Kano Emirate and its traditional institutions. For now, there are two Emirs; one backed by the state government and the other backed by the federal government.