The highly anticipated decision of the Federal High Court on the validity of the Kano Emirates Council Repeal Law 2024 has been postponed to 2pm on Thursday.
The law, recently passed by the Kano State House of Assembly, has been at the center of a heated legal and political battle following its swift passage and implementation, leading to the dethronement of five Emirs and dissolution of their Emirates in the State about four weeks ago.
The court will also address a motion for a stay of proceedings filed by A.G. Wakil, representing the state Attorney General and Kano state Government, who are respondents in Danagundi’s suit.
The law recently passed by the Kano State House of Assembly on May 23, was immediately signed into law by Governor Abba Yusuf and was used to dethrone Emir Aminu Ado Bayero and reappoint Muhammadu Sanusi ll as the 16th Emir of Kano.
Furthermore, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, Aminu Danagundi, who was represented by Chikaosolu Ojukwu [SAN], challenged the legality of the new law and asked the court to declare the law null and void.
After hearing the motion last Friday, Justice Abdullahi Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano adjourned the ruling till this Thursday. The effect of the grant of the motion heard by my lord, of the Federal High Court, when His Lordship delivers ruling on Thursday, 20th of June 2024, is that the Emirate council law as it is in force in Kano may be nullified, and the present Emir of Kano, HRM, Lamido Sanusi, may be removed from his palace as the police have hinted on carrying out the orders of the Federal High Court.
They argued that the Federal High Court had determined the entire appeal based on jurisdiction as the court had continued to assume jurisdiction. The appellant further averred, it would set a bad precedent of a lower court choosing not to respect the decisions or proceedings of the higher court.
It is in the interest of justice that the court of Appeal takes over the entire proceedings as there are conflicting orders of the Kano State High Court on the same matter. Meanwhile, APC criticised comments credited to Kwankwaso that the ruling party was trying to take Kano State through a state of emergency as disappointing and insensitive.
It maintained that the situation in Kano State called for calm, as the country awaited judicial or political resolution of all outstanding matters. The ruling party stated that the people of Kano deserved to live in peace, unity and security.
