Court Quashes Ganduje’s Emirates, Orders Reversal to Old Single Emirate

By Uche Mbah

The Justice Usman Na’Abba, presiding over a Kano High Court, has dissolved the newly created Emirates in Kano, ordering the reversal to the former status of the Emirate.

Before the creation of additional emirates, Kano was one single emirate ruled by the current Emir, Mohammed Sanusi II.

Recall that the Kano House of Assembly created four new Emirates in Kano in a bill which was quickly accented to by the Governor, Umar Ganduje. Ganduje was alleged to have sponsored the bill by proxy.

The bill effectively reduced the Emirate of Muhammed Sanusi, former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor who is currently the emir of Kano. Both Ganduje and Sanusi appear to have unresolved differences.

The four additional emirates with first class emirs were in Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya.

Delivering judgment Thursday, the Court nullified the law creating the emirates, relying on the argument of a faulty petition for their creation. It also accused the Kano State House of Assembly of violating the provision of Section 101 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which allows the assembly to make laws.

A member of Kano state House of Assembly, Rabiu Gwarzo, had approached the Court with the some  prayers. Part of his prayers was that “ the declaration that the petition titled ‘Appointment and Upgrading of Some Traditional Rulers to the Status of 1st Class Emirs (Head Chiefs) dated 6th May 2019 written by Mallam Ibrahim Salisu Chambers was not properly taken by the House on 6th May 2019” and therefore should be declared null and void.

He also faulted the way the house was convened prior to the passing of the bill and prayed for a “declaration that the non compliance or violation of Order I Rule 14(b) of the Kano State House of Assembly, Rules 2019 which provides for the procedure for reconvening the House, particularly the existence of a requisition and concurrence of the majority and minority leaders of the House of amounts to illegality which vitiate the proceedings and decisions of the Kano State House of Assembly conducted on 6th, 7th and 8th of May 2019 thereby rendering same null and void.”

The Court granted his request.

It is not yet clear whether the defendants will go on appeal.