Going, going… Kano lawmakers break emirate under Sanusi into five

The Kano state house of assembly has approved the amendment of the local government and chieftaincy affairs law, paving the way for the decentralisation of the Kano emirate council.

The bill, if signed into law, will allow for the creation of four more first-class emirs from Rano, Karaye, Bichi and Gaya emirates and reduce the domain of Muhammadu Sanusi, emir of Kano.

The Kano assembly amended the law following a petition filed by one Ibrahim Chambers.

The petitioner demanded the upgrade of some traditional rulers to the status of first-class emirs.

The assembly  had set up a committee to look into the petition and come up with a report.

While reading the joint committees report before the floor of the house on Tuesday, Baffa Danagundi, the majority leader, said the report also recommended the review of the law.

According to him, the decision followed wide consultation with stakeholders, adding that the feedback the committee received from the public, massively supported the upgrade of those emirate councils.

He, therefore, said the response received, clearly showed that there was a need to upgrade the traditional rulers.

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of the state, has already vowed to sign the bill into law. The move is believed to be targetted at Sanusi.

An official of the state government, who asked not to be named, had told TheCable that Ganduje was determined to either remove Sanusi or reduce his power.

Sanusi reportedly opposed the re-election of Ganduje, who needed a disputed supplementary election to be returned to office in the March 2019 governorship election.

After Ganduje lost the poll heavily in Kano municipal, there were rumours that he would hunt the emir after the election.