A Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman on Thursday, has set aside all steps taken by the Kano State government to repeal the Kano Emirates Council Law.
In his ruling, Justice Liman set aside the action of the Kano government, ordering parties to maintain the status quo.
Justice Liman said, “I hereby order that every step taken by the government is hereby nullified and becomes null and invalid, and that this does not affect the validity of the repealed Emirates Law but actions taken by the governor, which include the assenting to the law and the reappointment of Sanusi.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.”
He said the situation could have been averted if the respondents followed due process by complying with the court order, which would still have allowed them to carry out their assignments.
He noted that the respondents, however, decided to act according to their whims and caprices, a situation that, he said, landed them in a serious mess.
However, it will be recalled that the Kano House of Assembly repealed the law, after which Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf implemented it by dethroning Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano.
Governor Yusuf equally reversed the creation of four emirates: Bichi, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya, and sacked the emirs appointed by the former governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who is now the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
However, the same law was also relied upon to re-appoint the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who was dethroned by Ganduje in 2020, as the 16th Emir of Kano.
But 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 it null and void.
