The Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Dederi, says the Thursday ruling of the Federal High Court has “unequivocally reaffirmed” the validity of the law passed by Kano State House of Assembly and assented to by the Governor on May 2024.
He added that, by implication, this means that Muhammadu Sanusi II remains the Emir of Kano.
This is even as the state government has ordered the demolition of the palace of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero. Dederi said the demolition will allow for the renovation of the palace.
He also disclosed that the Commissioner of Police has been asked to remove Bayero from the Nasarawa GRA mini palace where he currently resides.
Addressing a Press conference in Kano after the high court ruling on Thursday, Dederi said the government has “concluded arrangements for the general reconstruction and renovation of the property, including the demolishing and reconstruction of the dilapidated fence with immediate effect.”
Dederi acknowledged the ruling by the Federal High Court regarding the Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 and viewed same as upholding the rule of law.
“The ruling of the court has unequivocally reaffirmed the validity of the law passed by Kano State House of Assembly and assented to by the Governor on May 2024.
“This part of the judgement is very fundamental to the entire matter. Further implication of the ruling is that all actions taken by the government before the emergence of the interim order of the Court are equally validated.
“This means that abolishing the five emirates created in 2019 is validated and the deposition of the five emirs is also sustained by the Federal High Court.
“By implication, this means that Muhammadu Sanusi II remains the Emir of Kano. The judge also granted our application for the stay of proceedings until the Court of Appeal deals with the appeal on jurisdiction.
“Happily, the signing of the law and the reinstatement of Sanusi II were done on 23 May, 2024 before the emergence of the Interim Order, which was served on us on 27 May, 2024.
“Following this ruling, Kano State Government has directed the State Commissioner of Police to eject the deposed Emir of the eight metropolitan local governments from the government property where he is ‘trespassing’.
“The government will commence general renovation of the property with immediate effect,” he said.
It may be recalled that the Federal High Court, while ruling on the substantive suit, validated the Kano Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024, and also nullified all actions taken by Governor Yusuf after the passage of the law.
The State House of Assembly, on May 23, dissolved the four Emirate Councils created in 2019 out of the Kano Emirate by ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje — Governor Yusuf’s predecessor.
Yusuf, on May 23, dethroned the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, and reappointed Muhammad Sanusi II, the 14th Emir deposed in March 2020, as the new Emir of Kano.(NAN)
