…Protests hit Villa, NASS over Sanusi’s reinstatement
A federal high court in Kano has ordered the state government not to enforce the Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024.
The Kano State House of Assembly passed the amended bill on Thursday, May 23.
Hours later, it was signed into law by Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano.
The law repealed the 2019 version which balkanized the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions, and which was relied upon to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as Emir in 2020.
Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano on Thursday by kingmakers and the governor, following the repeal of the 2019 legislation.
Ruling in a suit filed by Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate, Mohammed Liman, the judge, asked the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created pursuant to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.
The order was issued on Thursday, May 23.
The suit listed the Kano state government, Kano state House of Assembly, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Attorney-General of Kano, Commissioner of Police, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) as defendants.
The court also ordered that all processes be served on the IGP in Abuja.
“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,” the judge ruled.
“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.”
Protesters, meanwhile on Friday, stormed the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly Abuja, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing crisis over Kano Emirate.
The protesters, who marched peacefully, carried banners expressing concerns about the escalating situation in Kano.
They urged President Tinubu to use his good offices to resolve the crisis and ensure the restoration of peace and stability in the State.
Under the auspices of the Concerned Patriots of Nigeria, the protesters said Governor Yusuf has taken his abuse of office to another level by dissolving the traditional council.
“A lot had been going wrong in the state, but the Concerned Patriots of Nigeria had thought it best to allow Kano state to sort out its thorny issues. However, Thursday’s brash actions of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, who sacked five emirs to reappoint Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi as the 14th Emir of Kano has awoken us to the urgency of raising the alarm about the destructive excesses of the state governor, “coordinator Abdullahi Muhammed Saleh said.
“Since being sworn into office, Governor Abba Yusuf has a string of loutish acts that run like a hardened criminal’s rap sheet. All in the name of rubbishing his predecessor, he started with a demolition spree that has served to impoverish the people whose lives he took an oath to improve. Thus he proved himself to be anti-people.
“The Governor then attempted to destroy the structures of political parties in the state. The impish fanaticism with which he pursued this illicit mission saw him intruding into the structure of other political parties, including hiring some charlatans who purportedly suspended the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who is interestingly his predecessor. Thus he proved himself to be anti-democratic.
“This latest stunt of sacking five emirs to install his acolyte was achieved by manipulating the Kano State House of Assembly, which he had successfully turned into a rubber stamp for endorsing his illegal acts. He has eroded the autonomy guaranteed by the separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“It is inconceivable that any right-thinking person will descend low to the point of manipulating the traditional institution for political gimmicks. The humiliation meted out to the five emirs was most unbecoming and we have cause to believe that Abba Yusuf has set the stage for using the traditional institution as ancient and as esteemed as that of Kano for a political seesaw will continue since his successor will revert to the five emirates. The Kano governor has thus proven himself to be the anti-traditional institution leader.”
They added: “The Governor’s choice of actions flies in the face of reason and has no place in a sane and civilised society. We urge Governor Yusuf to retrace his steps and stop further undermining the peace of Kano state and by implication the peace in Nigeria.
“We also condemn the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) – dominated Kano State House of Assembly that they have cemented their place as a conclave of shame to have reverted into a mere rubber stamp for the megalomanic tantrums of the state governor.
Sanusi was dethroned after falling out with Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano at the time.
Ganduje’s All Progressives Congress (APC) lost the 2023 governorship poll in Kano to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), paving the way for the intrigues and brinkmanship that culminated in Sanusi’s return to the throne.
