Court Says The Four New Emirates In Kano State Created By Ganduje Are Illegal, Sacks, Dissolves Them
The Oasis Reporters
March 17, 2020
A Kano High Court has on Thursday, March 16, nullified the creation of four new Emirate Councils in the state by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. This has come days after Emir Sanusi was sacked by Governor Ganduje and sent on exile.
While also sacking the Emirs appointed over those Emirates, the court described the appointments as illegal.
It would be recalled that the state governor created four Emirate Councils of Bichi, Karaye, Gaya and Rano.
However, on Thursday in his judgment, Justice Justice Usman Naába, said the creation of the Emirates and the appointment of the Emirs were illegal.
It would also be recalled that Governor Ganduje assented to the bill creating the new Emirates on Wednesday, May 8 the same day it was passed by a unanimous decision of members of the State Assembly.
Justice Na’aba said the law creating the emirates is not in compliance with the constitution.
The suit was instituted by the former House of Assembly member, representing Gwarzo constituency, Muhammad Nasir against Kano State Government, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Commissioner for Justice, Kano State House of Assembly and Speaker.
While speaking on the judgement, counsel to the plaintiff, Barr. Maliki Kuliya expressed happiness over the judgment.
According to him, “they were not expecting anything short of this as the law is very clear.”
However, the defendant counsel, Barr. Ibrahim Muktar said the defence team needs to ruminate over the judgement.
The question however remains on the lips of commentators, asking who has the authority to create emirates and appoint Emirs ?
When Jigawa State was still an integral part of Kano State, the large state had four emirates. Kano was the largest, followed by Hadejia Emirate, then Gumel and Kazaure emirates.
Many said that on the eve of the creation of new states in Nigeria, then Kano Emir Ado Bayero was alleged to have influenced the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to push the other three emirates of Hadejia, Gumel and Kazaure into the newly created Jigawa state, leaving only Kano emirate in the huge state of Kano State. Kano State thus became one state with one governor and one Emir (King).
Meanwhile, the newly created Jigawa State went on to create additional emirates in Dutse and Ringim. Making a total number of five emirates. Yet Kano remained a one State kingdom or Emirate.
However, Emirates in Northern Nigeria are largely ruled by the Fulani tribe, while the subjects would mainly be Hausas and in some other cases, people of other tribes. Many largely Christian and minority tribes agitated to be free of Fulani rule, especially in Kaduna State, then ruled by an indigenous Hausa governor and former banker, Ahmed Makarfi. He created chiefdoms for them and the atmosphere of constant battle and bitter acrimony disappeared, thus ushering peace for almost 20 years in the religious faultline state.
It is worthy to note that the bulk of the poor in Kano State who constitute the almajiri street children are those perceived to be landless Hausa. Former Emir Sanusi had been speaking about the bulk of the poor and almajiri in the north of Nigeria. Yet the region’s superlatively wealthy may need more persuasion to forgo a few of their outlandish privileges to assist the street children who may constitute a source of worry to the region and the nation at large without education and jobs. It is a potent timebomb that needs addressing right away.
