The Kano State House of Assembly has passed the Kano Emirates Council Law (Repeal Bill) 2024, effectively dismantling the five newly created emirates and setting the stage for the potential return of deposed Emir Muhammadu Sanusi.
This decision comes after the bill successfully scaled its third reading, signaling a major shift in the state’s traditional and political landscape.
The newly passed bill nullifies the establishment of the five emirates: Bichi, Rano, Gaya, Karaye, and the original Kano Emirate. All offices and appointments made under the repealed law have been annulled, including the elevation of district heads. These officials are now required to revert to their previous positions.
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Background of the Emirate Law
The initial law, which created the five new emirates, was enacted by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on December 5, 2019. The law was subsequently amended twice, first on October 14, 2020, and again on April 11, 2023. Section 3(1) of this law established the distinct emirates, each with specific local government areas under their jurisdiction: Kano and Karaye with eight LGAs each, Bichi and Gaya with nine each, and Rano with ten out of the state’s 44 LGAs.
Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, who chaired the council, was deposed on March 9, 2020. Following his removal, the law was amended to make the Emir of Kano the sole chairman of the council, stripping Sanusi of his position and reshaping the emirate’s governance structure.
Political and Historical Context
Sanusi’s tenure as Emir began during the final term of then-Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. However, his relationship with Kwankwaso’s successor, Ganduje, soured over political disagreements and Sanusi’s public criticisms of Ganduje’s administration and the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ganduje accused Sanusi of supporting opposition parties and undermining his re-election efforts in 2019, leading to Sanusi’s eventual deposition and the creation of the additional emirates as a means to dilute his influence. Following his removal, Sanusi was banished to Loko, a remote area in Nasarawa State, but later became the leader of the Tijaniyya Islamic sect in Nigeria.
In December 2021, Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja declared Sanusi’s banishment unlawful and unconstitutional, awarding him N10 million in damages and ordering public apologies from the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Kano State Attorney-General.
The Political Will Behind the Legislative Repeal
The repeal of the emirate council law, sponsored by Majority Leader Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa of the Dala Constituency, is seen as a move to restore traditional order and potentially reinstate Sanusi. A principal officer of the assembly, who requested anonymity, stated emphatically, “No Jupiter can stop the assembly from amending the law.”
While there was anticipation that Sanusi might be restored to the throne in the future, significant efforts to address the matter only began recently, following the inauguration of the current governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf.
Kwankwaso, in a viral video after the 2023 general election, hinted that the new administration under Governor Yusuf would review Ganduje’s actions, including the creation of the new emirates. Kwankwaso expressed confidence that the current government would address these issues judiciously, highlighting the need for careful consideration of the state’s traditional structures.
“We tried not to intervene in the issue of bringing or removing any Emir, but now, an opportunity has come. Those who were given this opportunity will sit down and see to the issues. They will look at what they are expected to do.
“Besides the Emir, even the emirate has been divided into five places. All these need to be studied. Usually, a leader inherits good, bad, and issues that are hard to reconcile,” Kwankwaso had said.
Ganduje, however, remained defiant, asserting that the newly created emirates would endure. Speaking at the 2023 Workers’ Day celebration, he insisted that the emirates were established for unity, progress, and the honor of the regions they represent. He vowed, “These emirates are permanent; they have come to stay. And anybody that will destroy them, God Almighty will not bring him to Kano State.”
However, despite the legislative reversal, it is unclear if Sanusi is interested in reclaiming his former throne. In a video from March 2020, Sanusi expressed contentment with moving on from his role as Emir. He said, “I have done what I could in six years, I’m moving on. I don’t want to go back.” He acknowledged the legal flaws in his dethronement but emphasized his desire to embrace a new phase in life.