Court Nullifies Creation Of Four Additional Kano Emirates

 

A Kano State High Court has nullified the creation of four additional Emirates in Kano State.

The presiding judge, Justice Usman Na’abba ruled that the creation of the Emirates and subsequent appointment of four new first class Emirs did not allow due process.

A former minority leader of the State House of Assembly, Nasiru Muhammad, had earlier in May filed a suit challenging the legality of the appointment of the new Emirs and deposition law 2019 which led to the creation of four additional Emirates.

Justice Na’abba on Thursday also dismissed all the objections on an earlier preliminary by the dependant challenging the jurisdiction of the court to handle the case.

He further affirmed that the plaintiff, who is a former minority leader of the state assembly has the capacity to challenge the establishment of the Emirates.

Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had earlier in May assented the bill seeking the establishment of four additional first class Emirates – Rano, Gaya, Karaya and Bichiin – in Kano State.

Ganduje assented the bill following its passage by the Kano State House of Assembly.

He later in the month presented letters of appointment to the four new first-class Emirs during a ceremony held at the state capital.

Those presented with the letters of appointment include Aminu Ado Bayero, the son of Late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, as the Emir of Bichi; Ibrahim Abulkadir as the Emir of Gaya; Tafida Abubakar as the Emir Of Rano and Abubakar Ibrahim II as the Emir of Karaye.

Ganduje during the presentation said the creation of the four Emirates will make Kano traditional system more efficient.

The creation of the new Emirates was however met with controversy as four Kano State kingmakers filed a suit against Ganduje and the State Assembly.

A group called Kano First also led a protest lamenting that the creation of more emirates will lead to spending of unnecessary funds.

They urged the government to focus on pressing issues, such as deflation of revenues, healthcare, security and educational challenges.

The creation of four additional Kano Emirates paves way for the decentralisation of the Kano Emirate council thereby decentralising the power of Emir.