• Emir
• Kano Emirate
• Sanusi Lamido

COURT OF APPEAL UPHOLDS SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI’S APPOINTMENT AS EMIR OF KANO

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  Nicolas Adekeye / 2 weeks
• 0
• 2 min read

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned the verdict of the Federal High Court in Kano, which had questioned the appointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano. In a judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Mustapha, the appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court had overstepped its jurisdiction by interfering in chieftaincy matters. The lower court had nullified the government’s appointment of Sanusi as a first-class emir, following an application by Aminu Babba Dan’Agundi, a member of the emirate council under former Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. Dan’Agundi had argued that the sacking of Bayero and the dissolution of the five emirates without due consultation had infringed on his fundamental rights. However, the appellate court declared that the Federal High Court had no jurisdiction to intervene in matters related to the Kano State Emirate Council Law. It emphasized that the principal reliefs sought by Bayero did not fall within the scope of fundamental human rights and were instead connected to chieftaincy issues. Citing Section 251 of the Nigerian Constitution, the court affirmed that the Federal High Court lacked the authority to address matters related to chieftaincy. The appellate court also overturned the judgment of Justice Amina Aliyu of the Kano State High Court, directing the Kano State Chief Judge to reassign the matter for a fresh hearing. With this judgment, Muhammadu Sanusi II remains the legitimate ruler of the Kano throne. He was reinstated by Governor Abba Yusuf on May 3, 2024, after assenting to the Kano Emirates Repeal Law enacted by the Kano State House of Assembly.