Abba Yusuf signs bill abolishing Kano emirates created by Ganduje

Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano, has signed the bill abolishing the five emirates of the state.

Yusuf signed the bill at the government house on Thursday — the same day it was passed by the state house of assembly.

On Thursday, the state legislators passed the amended Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024.

The newly passed bill abolishes the five emirates and “all the appointments or offices arising therefrom”.

The bill also stipulates that the governor should restore the previous Kano emirate system.

BACKGROUND

In May 2019, the house of assembly approved the amendment of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, which paved the way for the balkanisation of the emirate.

The legislation was purportedly conceived to whittle the powers of Muhammadu Sanusi, then Emir of Kano.

Subsequently, Abdullahi Ganduje, the governor of Kano at the time, signed the bill into law.

With the law, Kano was divided into five emirates — Kano, Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi — with Emirs appointed into each emirate.

In March 2020, Ganduje deposed Sanusi as Emir of Kano “for total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the governor”.