The court also kicked against the abolishment of emirates of Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano by the governor
By Kehinde Okeowo
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has granted an ex-parte order stopping Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano from reinstating Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II.
The judge handling the case also kicked against the abolishment of emirates of Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano, pending the determination of a substantive suit filed against the annulments.
TheNiche had earlier reported that Governor Yusuf recently reinstated former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi, who was earlier dethroned by the Abdullahi Ganduje-led administration as the Emir of Kano.
The governor also dethroned his replacement, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and four other first-class emirs in the state, ordering them to vacate their palaces within the next 48 hours after they were ousted by the Kano State Emirate Council Law 2024 passed by the state House of Assembly on Thursday.
However, in a suit filed by Sarkin Dawaki Babba and Aminu Babba-Dan’Agundi on Thursday, the Kano court directed all parties involved to maintain status quo ante pending the determination of the case.
Justice A.M. Liman of the Federal High Court granted leave to the Plaintiff/Applicant to issue and serve their concurrent originating motion, as well as all other court processes on the 6th Defendant (IGP) in FCT Abuja and outside the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court.
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The defendants in the suit include the Kano State Government, the Kano State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the State Assembly, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Department of State Services.
Giving the verdict, Justice Liman said: “in view of the Constitutional and Jurisdictional Issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the Court on same at the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.
“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an Interim Injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the Respondents from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalizing the Kano State Emirate Law Council (Repeal) Law.
“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.”
The Judge went on to adjourn the case to June 3, 2024, for hearing.
