Justice Mohammed Liman of a Federal High Court in Kano has issued an order stopping the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law.
The court granted the order in an application filed by Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate, challenging the Kano state House of Assembly’s action.
The House had dissolved all four newly created emirate councils in the state on Thursday following deliberations on the floor of the House during plenary.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on Thursday, reappointed a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, four years after he was dethroned by Umar Ganduje, immediate past governor of the state.
Governor Yusuf had deposed five emirs appointed by Ganduje and gave them a 48-hour ultimatum to vacate their official residences and palaces, with a directive to hand over all affairs to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that in the latest lawsuit concerning the Emir’s seat, 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 are the respondents in the fundamental rights case.
The judge ruled, “The 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 the 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.
“Those 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.
Meanwhile, the court ordered that all court processes be served on the IGP in Abuja.
The repealed law, known as the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law, had created Rano, Karaye, Gaya, and Bichi Emirates in addition to Kano.
The law’s repeal means that the newly created emirates have been dissolved, returning the Kano Emirate under a single monarch.
See court documents below:
