A federal high court in Kano has ordered the state government not to enforce the Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024.

The Kano state house of assembly passed the amended bill on Thursday, May 23.

Hours later, it was signed into law by Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano.

The law repealed the 2019 version which balkanised the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions, and which was relied upon to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as Emir in 2020.

Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano on Thursday by kingmakers and the governor, following the repeal of the 2019 legislation.

Ruling in a suit filed by Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate, Mohammed Liman, the judge, asked 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 pursuant to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.

The order was issued on Thursday, May 23.

The suit listed the Kano state government, Kano state house of assembly, the speaker of the house of assembly, attorney-general of Kano, commissioner of police, inspector-general of police (IGP), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) as defendants.

The court also ordered that all processes be served on the IGP in Abuja.

“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the fundamental rights application,” the judge ruled.

“That in view of the constitutional and jurisdictional issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the court on same at the hearing of the fundamental rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.

“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an interim injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the fifth to eight respondents (CP, IGP, NSCDC and DSS) from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalising the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law.

“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.

“That this case is adjourned to the 3rd day of June 2024, for hearing of the fundamental rights application.”

Sanusi was dethroned after falling out with Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano at the time.

Ganduje’s All Progressives Congress (APC) lost the 2023 governorship poll in Kano to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), paving the way for the intrigues and brinkmanship that culminated in Sanusi’s return to the throne.

1. The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Government and the Nigerian Army to reopen the Banex Plaza in Abuja for business activities. It also urged the authorities to use modern technology, such as surveillance and closed circuit television, to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the attack on Army personnel in the plaza recently.

2. There was jubilation in Kano State on Thursday as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf announced the re-appointment of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi as the new Emir of Kano. He made the announcement after signing the new emirate council law at Government House, Kano.

3. The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has scheduled judgment for Monday in the petition by Social Democratic Party, SDP, and its candidate in the last governorship election in Kogi, Murtala Ajaka. Ajaka and his party are challenging the declaration of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the election held on November 11, 2023.

4. President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive review of the recently announced governing boards of tertiary institutions. He expressed concerns that the constitutional Federal Character principle did not reflect in the nominations of members of the governing councils.

5. The House of Representatives, on Thursday, passed for third reading, a bill reverting to ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’, the old National Anthem. The bill sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Prof Julius Ihonbvere, underwent an accelerated consideration on the floor of the House before passage.

6. The Federal Government said on Thursday that the country was poised to begin local production of military equipment with the recent signing of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Bill by President Bola Tinubu. The Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru, said following the signing of the bill, the FG had been in talks with 50 local firms for local production of firearms in the country.

7. The grandmother of a 17-year-old girl identified simply as Favour has buried her daughter’s newborn baby alive in the Ogombo area of Ajah, Lagos State. It was gathered that when the grandmother observed that the teenager had gotten pregnant, she became angry and did everything possible to hide the pregnancy from members of the public.

8. An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division on Thursday sentenced two persons, Benjamin Joseph (32), and Stephen Orban (25), to death by hanging for robbing two persons of cash and valuable items. The convicts were arraigned on December 30, 2022, on four counts bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery.

9. The Naira on Thursday depreciated in the parallel market to N1,515 per dollar from N1,495 per dollar on Wednesday. Similarly, the Naira depreciated to N1,485.66 per dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, NAFEM.

10. Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has told the Federal Government that Nigerians were increasingly being frustrated by poverty and hunger, thus challenging the political office holders to rise to their responsibilities of protecting Nigerians and uplifting their living standards.

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, says the reinstatement of the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, was a fulfilment of a campaign promise.

Yusuf, on Thursday, signed the bill repealing the State Emirate Council Law 2019 that gave the state five emirate councils.

The state House of Assembly on Thursday passed the bill for the dissolution of the four additional emirates created by the immediate past administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and the removal of all five emirs.

The governor signed the bill at the Government House on Thursday, the same day it was passed by the state lawmakers.

At the event, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, the governor said the new law provided for the reinstatement of Mr Lamido as Emir of Kano and removal of all the five Emirs in all the five emirates.

He added that it was also part of his campaign commitment to residents of the state.

“The law provided an opportunity for reinstatement of the 14th Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II and removal of 15th Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero, the Emir of Bichi Nasir Ado Bayero, Emir of Rano Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa, Emir of Karaye Ibrahim Abubakar II and Emir of Gaya Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulkadir.

“Governor Yusuf further articulated that the return of Muhammad Sanusi II back on throne will propel peace and prosperity, adding that the repeal of the council law was in realisation of his campaign commitments to restore the lost glory of the state and its rich cultural heritage.

“Governor Yusuf also issued 48 hours to Aminu Ado Bayero and four other former first class chiefs to vacate their palaces and hand over all emirates property to the office of the deputy governor.

“The governor expressed satisfaction that the new law will bring unity of the people of Kano and foster sustainable socio-economic development.

“He emphasised that the signing of the bill symbolizes the restoration of the revered legacy of the Kano emirate, which has withstood the test of time of over a thousand years.

“Furthermore, the governor urged the populace in the state to continue supporting his administration in delivering a multitude of infrastructural advancements that will propel Kano to greater heights.

“Everyone should go about his or her normal activities in the state, we have done what we believe is in the best interest of the state and its people”

“I want to inform the good people of Kano that today, we reappointed Sanusi Lamido Aminu Sanusi popularly known as Muhammadu Sanusi the II as the 16th Emir of Kano while the five former emirs are expected to vacate the palaces within 48 hours.

“The former emirs are to handover all properties in thier possession to the Commissioner for Local Government who doubles as the state Deputy Governor.

“Under the new Kano Emirate Repeal law 2024, Kano state is now under one emirate,” the statement said.