When the Kano State House of Assembly announced that it was reviewing the Kano State Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Law, it was apparent to all observers that it would only be a matter of time before the four new emirates would be history.
The new emirates were created during the administration of immediate past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The House of Assembly, in justifying the review of the law, said it was brought before it as a matter of urgent public importance.
After a series of processes, on May 23rd, the assembly amended the law, abolishing all the emirates, thereby sacking all the emirs including that of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.
However, a Federal High Court in Kano issued an order, restraining the Kano State Government from implementing the new emirate law under which Muhammadu Sanusi II has been reinstated as the Emir of Kano.
The reviewed law had given the leeway for the state government to reinstate Sanusi II as Kano emir four years after he was deposed.
In spite of the subsisting court order, the state governor, Kabiru Abba Yusuf, presented a letter of appointment to Emir Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The order by the Federal High Court would mark the beginning of court orders and counter orders in what has now become akin to a royal rumble.
The order was obtained by a title holder in the dissolved Kano emirate, Alhaji Aminu Dan’agundi, who had filed a suit to challenge the government’s decision.
Dan Agundi, who holds the traditional tile of Sarkin Dawaki Babba, (senior counsellor and kingmaker), joined the state government, the state House of Assembly and its Speaker; the Attorney-general of the state; the state Commissioner of Police; the Inspector-general of Police; Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); and the Department of Security Service (DSS) as respondents in the suit.
The court presided by Justice AM Liman, in suit number FHC/KN/CS/182/2024, ordered the state government and the other parties involved to discontinue the implementation of the new emirate law, pending the hearing of the substantive case.
In a counter order, a state High Court, issued an order directing Bayero to desist from parading himself as the 15th Emir of Kano and also directed the police to evict him from the mini palace situated at Nassarawa GRA in the state metropolis.
The court, presided over by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, gave the order on May 27, and the order is effective until June 11, when the substantive motion would be heard.
For the Kano game of thrones, it has, indeed, been a rain of court orders as both the Federal High Court and the Kano State High Court in a dramatic turn of events, issued conflicting interim injunctions, thereby compounding the dilemma and escalating tensions in the state.
The Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice S. A. Amobeda, issued an order for the eviction of Emir Sanusi II from the Kofar Kudu Palace, and reinforcing the authority of the 15th Emir of Kano, Bayero.
Conversely, the Kano State High Court, under the jurisdiction of Hon Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, also issued an injunction to protect Sanusi II and other key figures from potential harassment by state authorities. This order prevents any interference with the Emir’s autonomy and the seizure of key symbols of his authority, such as the twin spear, the Royal Hat of Dabo, and the Ostrich-feathered shoes.
However, in what seems to be an attempt to protect the noble profession, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for punitive actions against the lawyers and judges involved in the issuance of conflicting orders in the Kano Emirate legal tussle.
The NBA opined that the actions of the lawyers and judges have exposed the entire legal profession in Nigeria to public ridicule and opprobrium.
NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, in a statement on Wednesday, said the NBA would drag any lawyer found culpable in the matter before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), for appropriate sanctions.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has also summoned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the Chief Judge of Kano State High Court to appear before him over the conflicting interim injunctions.
“Sequel to the conflicting judgments emanating from the Federal High Court, and Kano State High Court of Justice on the Chieftaincy matter in Kano State, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman, National Judicial Council, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, has summoned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, OFR, and Chief Judge of Kano State High Court, Justice Dije Aboki for an emergency meeting in his chambers,” a statement from the director of information of the National Judicial Council, Mr Soji Oye, said.
