By By Muminat Ajide
Sanusi Lamido has been dethroned for the second time as the Emir of Kano.
A Federal High Court in Kano nullified the Kano Emirate Council (Amendment No. 2) Law, 2024, which had abolished four of the five emirate councils, including the removal of all five emirs, including Aminu Ado-Bayero of Kano. Governor Abba Yusuf signed the bill on May 23, repealing the State Emirate Council Law 2019.
The Kano State House of Assembly passed the bill on the same day, dissolving the four emirates created by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. The following day, Mr. Yusuf reinstated Mr. Sanusi as the sole emir of Kano State.
However, a title holder in the Kano emirate, Aminu Dan’agundi, challenged the government’s decision in the Federal High Court. Judge Abdullahi Liman, in suit number FHC/KN/CS/182/2024, immediately ordered the state government and other parties to halt the implementation of the new emirate law pending the hearing of the case.
The judge ruled that the appointment of Mr. Sanusi as the Emir of Kano was null and void because the government had failed to obey the court order restraining further actions on the new emirate council law.
He criticized Governor Yusuf’s speech during the reappointment letter presentation to Mr. Sanusi, describing it as a path to anarchy. The judge emphasized that disregarding a court order despite evidence of service could lead the government toward instability.
He ordered the restoration of the Kano Emirate Council Law 2019, which had divided Kano into five emirates: Kano, Bichi, Karaye, Rano, and Gaya.
Recalling March 9, 2020, Sanusi was dethroned on grounds of insubordination and replaced by Aminu Ado-Bayero.
According to a statement released by the Secretary to the State Government at the time, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, “The Kano State Executive Council, under the Chairmanship of his Excellency, the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has unanimously approved the immediate removal/dethronement of the Emir of Kano Emirate, Muhammad Sanusi II.
The statement went further “The Emir of Kano showed total disrespect for lawful instructions from the state Governor’s office and other authorities, including his persistent refusal to attend official meetings and programs without lawful justification, amounting to total insubordination.”
It is documented that Muhammad Sanusi II breached Section 13 (a-e) of the Kano State Emirate Law 2019 on several occasions, which, if unchecked, could damage the established image of the Kano Emirate.
