By Abiola Olawale
A Federal High Court in Kano State has granted an order nullifying the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.
The court on Thursday also struck out the recently signed Kano Emirates Council Law which deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero and other emirs.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Abdullahi Liman held that the Kano state government failed to follow due process by complying with the court order.
Liman also ordered all parties to the dispute to maintain the status quo.
Liman ruled: “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by the government is hereby nullified and becomes null and invalid and that this does not affect the validity of the repealed Emirates Law but actions taken by the governor which include the assenting to the law and the reappointment of Sanusi.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 the exercise of its powers, set aside an action because it violates 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.”
The judgment was a sequel to a lawsuit initiated by a kingmaker in the Kano Emirate and Sarkin Dawaki Babba, Aminu Babba Danagundi, challenging the propriety of the repeal law enacted by the Kano State government.
Danagundi asked the court, through his counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), to declare the law null and void.
The New Diplomat reports that Kano State has been witnessing massive games of thrones after Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf signed some changes in the Kano State Emirate Council Bill into Law 2024.
The newly- signed law dissolved four new Emirates in the State and restored Kano Emirate to its pre-2019 status on Thursday, May 23.
Yusuf also issued a reappointment letter to Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II on Friday, May 24, as the new Emir of Kano, and ordered the Emirs affected by the new law to vacate their palaces within 48 hours.
