A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has faulted the repealed Kano Emirates Council Law of 2019, carried out by the Kano State Government.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, by the presidng judge, Muhammad Liman, the court ordered parties involved in the matter to maintain the status quo. However, it failed to provide clarity on the stand of the law and what is expected of the defendants.
The judge held that the defendants, which includes the Kano State government, were aware of an interim order previously granted by the court but ignored it and implemented the law.
Liman threatened he would deploy the powers of the court to ensure there is compliance with the order.
However, the judge transferred the case to another high court judge, Simon Amobeda, for continuation, given his elevation to the Court of Appeal.
Last month, the Kano State House of Assembly passed the amended bill, which Abba Yusuf, the state governor, signed into law.
The law repealed the 2019 version, which divided the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions and was relied upon to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as Emir in 2020.
On the same day, Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano by kingmakers and the governor.
Aggrieved by the development, Aminu Babba Dan Agundi and Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate took the matter to court, to restrain the respondents from enforcing, implementing, and operationalising the law that reinstated Sanusi.
On May 23, Liman ordered the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024, as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created according to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.
