In a fresh development in the Kano Emirate leadership dispute, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended the enforcement of its own judgment that upheld the Kano State Government’s repeal of the 2019 Emirate Council Law.
This suspension will remain in effect until the Supreme Court delivers a final ruling on the matter.
The controversy surrounding the Kano Emirate began in 2019 when the Kano State Government, under then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, enacted the Emirate Council Law, dividing the historic Kano Emirate into five separate jurisdictions.
This law led to the dethronement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano in 2020. However, in 2024, Governor Abba Yusuf signed a new law repealing the 2019 version, effectively dissolving the five emirates and reinstating Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano. This move sparked legal battles, as those affected by the dissolution of the newly created emirates sought redress in court.
The legal conflict saw multiple rulings. On May 23, 2024, the Kano House of Assembly passed the amended bill repealing the 2019 Emirate Law, and Governor Yusuf assented to it, paving the way for Sanusi’s reinstatement. On June 13, 2024, Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano ruled that applicants challenging the new law had the right to contest the legality of their dethronement. The following week, on June 20, the same court nullified all actions taken by the Kano State Government regarding the repeal of the 2019 Emirate Law and ordered that the status quo be maintained.
However, the Court of Appeal in Kano overturned this ruling on January 10, 2025, declaring that the lower court had acted outside its jurisdiction by ruling on a chieftaincy matter, which falls under the jurisdiction of state high courts. Dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s ruling, the Kano State Government filed an appeal at the Supreme Court. Subsequently, Aminu Babba Dan (Sarkin Dawaki Babba) filed an application at the appellate court on February 6, 2025, seeking to halt the enforcement of the January 10 ruling until the Supreme Court’s decision.
On March 14, 2025, a three-member panel of justices led by Justice Okon Abang ruled in favour of the application. The court suspended the enforcement of the January 10 judgment pending the Supreme Court’s ruling and directed all parties to maintain the status quo, meaning that no further steps should be taken regarding Sanusi’s reinstatement. Justice Abang emphasised that the application was competent and met all legal conditions, and the balance of convenience favored the applicant.
In his ruling, he stated, “The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice.” The court also recognised the applicant’s right to protection, considering that he had served as Emir for five years before his removal. Furthermore, the applicant was directed to file an undertaking within 14 days to indemnify the respondents in case the order was found to have been wrongly made.
With the matter now awaiting a final verdict from the Supreme Court, the fate of the Kano Emirate leadership remains uncertain. This latest ruling reinforces the complexities of the Kano Emirate crisis, highlighting the deep legal and political tensions that continue to shape the state’s traditional leadership structure.
