Kano Emirate crisis: Court insists parties maintain status quo

Desmond Mgboh, Kano

A bid by the Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi, Umar Ganduje, to vacate the order restraining him from creating the four new emirates in the state was unsuccessful.

The battle to stop the implementation the new law was fought at a Kano High Court situated on Miller Road when the case came up for hearing on Thursday.

The presiding judge, Justice Nasiru Saminu, rather than vacate the order, directed the parties to maintain the status quo in line with his previous order on May 10, 2019, pending the hearing of the motion while adjourning the case to the July 15, 2019.

Defense counsel and former Attorney General of the state, Barrister  Ibrahim Murktar, had urged the court to discharge its earlier restraining order stopping the governor from carrying on with the creation of the four additional emirates, arguing that the order had expired given that it was well over 21 days

On the other hand, the plaintiff’s counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, while citing several authorities, objected to the oral application by the defense counsel, insisting that such an application should have been accompanied with a written address.

On May 10, 2019, the court had restrained the governor from creating four new emirates in the state while directing all the parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Brought by a member of the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon Rabiu Saleh Gwarzo, the case has the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly; the Clerk, Kano State House of Assembly, Kano State Governor and the Attorney General of the state as respondents

The court had equally ordered the defendants to halt the publication and release of the law amended on May 8^th  2019, namely Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) ( Amendment)  Law 2019  pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

It also withheld them from appointing and or recognising any purported emir under Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) (Amendment) Law 2019 pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.