Court halts Ganduje from inaugurating Kano council of chiefs

By Ese Awhotu

A High Court in Kano has granted an interim injunction to halt the Kano State Government from constituting the new council of chiefs and appointing its members.
The presiding judge, Ahmed Badamosi, on Tuesday ordered a stoppage of the council of chiefs.
He also granted an order restraining Governor Ganduje from taking away the functions and powers of the applicants.
He then adjourned the case to December 17.
The plaintiffs in the suit are Kano kingmakers headed by the Madakin Kano, Yusuf Nabahani, and Muktar Adnan.
The defendants are the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly as the first respondent, Kano State House of Assembly as the second respondent, Governor of Kano State as third respondent, Attorney General of Kano State as fourth respondent and the four newly appointed emirs of Rano, Karaye, Gaya and Bichi.
Recall that Governor Ganduje had last week signed a new law in Kano approving the creation of four new emirates and the appointment of first-class emirs for each of them.
The law also establishes the council of chiefs.
Governor Ganduje had also appointed the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi, as the head of the council of chiefs, while the four newly appointed emirs are members.
The governor consequently ordered Emir Sanusi, to call a meeting of the council.
Before the new law, the emir of Kano was the only first-class emir in the state.
However, aside the court tussle, Ganduje’s new emirates did not seem to go down well with the Kano Elders otherwise called Advocates For United Kano.
The elders group had on Sunday called on Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to repeal the Kano Emirate law that created four additional Emirates in the state.
A statement signed by Alhaji Bashir Tofa alongside ten others and made available to newsmen in Kano frowned at the creation and the attempt to destroy 1,000 years old heritage.
The elders stated that, “The Advocates for United Kano is a non-partisan group of citizens from all professions and backgrounds, who are law-abiding and irrevocably committed to the peace and progress of our dear State.
“Consequently, we hereby express deep concern about the persistence of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje at the destruction of the Kano Emirate, a product of the efforts of our forefathers, which has survived for centuries championing purposeful administration and scholarship in Kano State and beyond.
“It is without doubt that the Kano Emirate has, for centuries, been a formidable force in shaping the character and economic outlook of the Kano society in particular and Nigeria as a whole. Unfortunately, however, the actions of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje which, to a greater extent, borders on personal margins, are unequivocally bent on destroying that legacy.
The statement further lamented what it described as the Governor’s deliberate attempt to politicize the creation of emirates, therefore ignoring every effort of well-meaning individuals that have cautioned him.
“Well-meaning citizens cutting across various spheres of endeavour (religious, political, academic, legal, judicial etc) have expressed views that despite the ill-conceived action of the Governor, Kano Emirate “has remained the most influential emirate in the Sokoto Caliphate under the control of the Emir of Kano, traversing the entire territory that is now known as Kano State.” The Governor has severally been cautioned to apply reason and rectitude in contemplating dissecting the Kano Emirate to meet certain political ends. But political impunity and vendetta have beclouded his good senses of reasoning and judgement. Clearly, he is resolute in the mission of destroying the legacy of Sheik Usman Dan Fodio, which Kano Emirate duly represents.
But, Ganduje has swiftly called the Kano elders bluff, saying that the group cannot change his decision on the appointment of the additional Emirate councils in the state.
According to him, the creation of new Emirates in the state which followed due process has come to stay.