A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has stopped the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi as Emir of Kano.
Justice Mohammed Liman granted the order on Wednesday stopping the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law passed by the state assembly.
The court order was sequel to an application filed by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate.
In Thursday, the Kano State House of Assembly, dissolved all the four newly created emirate councils in the state,
The new emirates — Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Buchi— were created by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in 2019.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf signed Kano State Emirs Appointment and Deposition) Emirates (Repeal) bill into law on Thursday and reappointed Mr Sanusi as the Kano sole monarch.
Sanusi was dethroned by Mr Ganduje in 2020 over alleged insubordination, among others.
After reinstating Mr Sanusi, Governor Yusuf sacked all the five emirs and gave them a 48-hour ultimatum to vacate their official residences and palaces.
The respondents in the fundamental rights case filed by Mr DanAgundi are the Kano State Government, the House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Attorney-General, the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the State Security Service.
The court ordered that all court processes be served on the IGP in Abuja.
The judge ruled, “That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the fundamental rights application.
That in view of the constitutional and jurisdictional issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the court on same at the hearing of the fundamental rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.
“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an interim injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the fifth to eight respondents (CP, IGP, NSCDC and DSS) from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalising the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law.
“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.
“That this case is adjourned to the 3rd day of June 2024, for hearing of the fundamental rights application.”
“Status quo ante” refers to the previously existing state of affairs.
