By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi (Sarkin Dawaki Babba), the king-maker who got the Court order stopping the re-installation of Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi 11 as the 16th Emir of Kano, has expressed optimism that the Court will give justice to the deposed five Emirs in Kano.
He hinted journalists at Nassarawa House where Emir Aminu Ado Bayero is currently staying that the other four Emirs will join in the suit against Kano state government, Kano state House of Assembly and others who ensured the dissolution of Gaya, Rano, Bichi, Karaye, Kano emirates created by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
According to him, the dissolution of the five Emirates and re-installation of Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi 11 as the one and only Emir of Kano did not follow due process, and should be reversed by the court.
He regretted that Kano State House of Assembly repealed the law that created the five emirates council and sacked the five emirs and all the appointees under that law.
He siad: “I was deeply not satisfied about the decision of the House of Assembly regarding the new law, so I approached the high court to restrain the state government and all other persons that relate to the issue, from sacking the five emirs.
“By the grace of God, the judge granted our prayers and restrained the State Assembly and the governor from implementing or enforcing the new law which has been enacted.
“All the other (dethroned) emirs will join me in this suit to challenge the decision of the new law they created.
“For me, they did not follow the due process. You cannot create a law in one day, pass it in the same day and take it to the governor to sign in the same day.
“I was meant to understand that, if you want to change a law, for whatever reasons, you have to do public hearing, which they did not do. So, I felt they did not do the proper thing and that is why I went to court for the governor to be restrained.
“Unfortunately for the governor, I heard him said the judge was even in the US when he granted the order. But a judge can hear any case anywhere they are in the world.
“All he needs to do is, through zoom meeting, listen to the plaintiff or lawyers’ arguments and take decision, which is what was done.
“I also heard the governor saying he will report the judge (Justice Liman) to the Governors Forum and I wonder what the judge got to do with the Governors Forum. It is only the Judicial Service Commission that can discipline a judge.
“Again, very unfortunate, I heard the deputy governor accusing the National Security Adviser that he was the one who gave us the aircraft that brought us to Kano. I have high regard for him, but for him to accuse someone without facts is unfortunate.
“It was a very close friend of mine -a Good Samaritan that gave us the aircraft that brought us to Kano. Besides, I have been chattering airplanes for the emir, so it is very unfortunate to hear that from the deputy governor.”
Our Correspondent reports that following the brewing tension in Kano over the deposition of the Emirs of Kano, Rano, Bichi, Karaye and Gaya, and the re-installation of Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi 11 as the one and only Emir of Kano, security chiefs in Kano have urged the warring parties to maintain peace, as they will be abiding by the order of a Federal High Court issued in Kano last Thursday.
Their decision has paralleled the directive by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for Emir Aminu Ado Bayero to be arrested.
The “deposed” Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero who was the chairman of Kano Emir in Council returned to Kano Friday night amidst tight security.
He is currently staying at the Nassarawa House, where his late father, His Highness, Abdullahi Ado Bayero was buried.
In a joint-security press briefing, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Usaini Gumel, said it the resolve by all security agencies to keep the peace and provide adequate security to all law abiding people in view of the tensed security developments surrounding the Chieftaincy matters of the state.
CP Gumel said: “You are all welcome to Bompai. the Headquarters of Kano State Police Command. We are gathered here to intimate you on the security situation, and in particular the developments surrounding the Chieftaincy Affairs of the State,
“The Police Command is expressly obeying the Court Order with SUIT No. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024 Dated 23rd May, 2024 issued by the Federal High Court sitting in Kano alongside ail Law Enforcement agents in the State.
“Therefore, we are calling on members of the public to know that the Police in the State is working together with the military and other security agencies and are with full capacity for providing the adequate security to everyone as we are committed to carrying out our statutory duties as provided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
“No doubt, the law abiding people of Kano State are known for a revered cultural heritage and respect for constituted authorities and in this regard, advised to remain calm, patient, and to keep cooperating with security agencies as the matter described will be addressed by the Court on the 3rd of June 2024.
“Let me also remind you that the position of the law is very clear as whoever, under whatever guise is found to be planning to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the State or feel that he she can jeopardize the existing security settings in the State will be arrested and made to face full wrath of the law.
“Therefore, as the Police Command is leading other security agencies to sustain the peace and peaceful coexistence for overriding interests, miscreants should stay clear of violence in all its ramifications and should not take advantage or hijack the current situation to launch unprovoked attack on people, property and infrastructure of the State. Any person found with such tendency will be ruthlessly dealt with according to the law of the land
“By and large, the combined security agencies in the State have set out all machinery in place to ensure no breakdown of law and order as the satety and security of all the inhabitants in the State remain sacrosanct.
“On this note, it is on behalf of all the security agencies, I thank all the good people of the State for their understanding, prayers, continuous support and cooperation.
“In case of emergencies, the Command can be contacted via. 08032419754, 08123821575, 09029292926, 08076091271, or login to the “NPF Rescue Me” Application available on the Play Store.”
However, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano has halted installation of former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, but currently called Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi 11, as the Emir of Kano.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Thursday signed the Kano Emirate bill (2024) into law and announced the former CBN Governor as the one and only Emir of Kano, after ordering the deposed Emirs of Kano, Bichi, Karaye, Rano and Gaya to vacate the their Palace hand over their instruments of power to the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, who doubles as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
But the Court suddenly faulted the implementation of the new Kano Emirate law, that crushed the five Emirates and return Kano on its former status as one of the largest Emirates in sub-Saharan Africa.
In a suit brought before the Presiding Judge, Justice A.M Liman by Alhaji Aminu Bappa Dan Agundi ( Sarkin Dawaki Babba), on Thursday the Court averred that the implementation and the operation of the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 (1445 A.H) be suspended.
Justice Liman ordered that “ An order of Interim Injunction of this honourable Court suspending not giving effect to, not implementing the Operation of the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024 (1445 A.H), as they affect all offices and institutions of all the Emirate Councils created under the provision of Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019, (1441 A.H).
“An order of Interim Injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the 5th – 8th Respondents from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalizing the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024.
“ In the alternative to relief 3 above, an Order of Interim Injunction of this Honourable court for the maintenance and preservation of the subject matter and or the preservation of the status quo by all parties to this suit, pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiff/applicant’s Originating motion before this Honourable Court as well as AN ORDER of accelerated hearing on this matter.”
Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi 11 was reappointed as the new Emir of Kano as Governor’ Abba Kabir Yusuf signed the new Kano Emirate bill (2024) into law, on Thursday.
He performed the signing at Ante-chamber, Government House before the Speaker of Kano state House of Assembly, Hon. Ismaila Falgore and other Principal Officers of the House.
Speaking shortly after signing the law, Governor Yusuf described the event as historic, and thanked the state of Assembly for performing their constitutional duties.
He said the Kano state Emirate law 2019 that divided the over 1000 years Kano Emirate into five has been repealed.
Governor Yusuf announced the reappointment of Muhammad Sanusi 11 as the Emir of Kano and gave the five Emirs appointed by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to vacate their official residence and ove their instruments of power r to the Commissioner of Local Government Affairs, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo who doubles as the state Deputy Governor.
Earlier on Thursday, Kano State House of Assembly passed the Kano Emirates Council bill 2024, abolishing the five Emirates crested by Ganduje.
Ganduje had carved out Bichi Gaya, Karaye, Rano and Kano Emirates , before dethroning the former Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi 11
With the passage of the bill into law, the five Emirs in Kano have been dethroned.
However, all offices created under the repealed law have been dissolved, and district heads appointed or elevated under the previous legislation are to revert to their former positions.
The bill, titled the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment No. 2) Law, 2024, was sponsored by Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa, the Majority Leader and representative of the Dala Constituency.
The original law, enacted under former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on December 5, 2019, was amended twice: first on October 14, 2020, and again on April 11, 2023. Section 3(1) of the law had established the five distinct emirates, distributing jurisdiction over the 44 local government areas in the state.
Following the deposition of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi on March 9, 2020, the law was amended to designate the Emir of Kano as the chairman of the council.
Section 12 of the law allowed the Governor to grade emir offices as first, second, or third class with the Assembly’s approval.
Muhammad Sanusi 11 received his letter of appointment as the 16th Emir of Kano from Governor Yusuf on Friday.
He relocated from Government House to the Emir’s Palace at the early hours of Saturday in the company of Governor Yusuf , his Deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo and other top government officials.
However, security chiefs in Kano led by CP Gumel had closed door meetings with Emir Aminu Ado Bayero at Nassarawa House where they sued for peace and urged him and his supporters to shun any acts that may result to breakdown of peace and order.
The security chiefs who visited Kano Government House was led to the Emir’s Palace by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, where the met with Governor Yusuf and Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi 11 in closed-door meeting.
Impeccable source within the security circle to our Correspondent that the Kano security chiefs appealed to Governor Yusuf and Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi 11 to respect the Court order and vacate the palace pending e hearing of the case on June 3, 2924, to avoid breakdown of law and order in the state.
Kano, however, remain peaceful though residents are apprehensive over the development in Kano’s traditional institution.