Kano emirship tussle a fight to the finish, says Abba Yusuf’s aide

Dawakin-Tofa Bature, spokesperson of Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano, says the ongoing emirship tussle in the state is a fight to the finish.

Speaking on Friday when he featured on Newsnight, a programme on Arise TV, Bature said the state government will pursue the case “vigorously”. 

On Thursday, a federal high court in Kano nullified all actions of the state government repealing the Emirates Council Law of 2019.

In his ruling, Muhammad Liman, the presiding judge, said the defendants were aware of an interim order previously granted by the court but ignored it and implemented the law.

BACKGROUND

On May 23, the Kano house of assembly passed the amended bill, which Yusuf signed into law.

The law repealed the 2019 version, which divided the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions and was relied upon to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as emir in 2020.

On the same day the law was repealed, Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano by kingmakers and the governor.

Aggrieved, Aminu Babba Dan Agundi and Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate approached the court to restrain the respondents from enforcing, implementing, and operationalising the law that reinstated Sanusi.

On May 23, Liman ordered the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024, as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created according to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.

‘IT’S A FIGHT TO THE FINISH’

Speaking on Friday, Bature said the federal high court lacks the jurisdiction to try the case. 

“We have filed an appeal at the appeal court and for that reason, the judge of the high court decided to stay the proceeding and transferred the case to his counterpart of court three of the same federal high court in Kano,” he said.

“So, therefore, we are now waiting for the appeal. We will appeal this case up to the supreme court. This is an interlocutory appeal.

“First, we are challenging the jurisdiction of the federal high court to entertain issues related to chieftaincy affairs because constitutionally, issues to do with chieftaincy affairs lie with the state high court.

“We have instituted two cases before the state high court in Kano and they came almost in conflict with the two cases at the federal high court.

“So, therefore, we will pursue this case vigorously, and it is a fight to the finish.”