Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The kingmakers of Kano Emirate have asked a state High Court to set aside the purported creation of new emirates in Kano.
They have equally asked the court to nullify the appointments of emirs of Rano, Karaye, Bichi and Gaya as well as invalidate their letters or any instrument of appointment purportedly issued to them by the Kano State governor or his agents on May 9, 2019.
The plaintiffs in this fresh case initiated at the Miller Road High Court on May 14, 2019, included Madakin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Nabahani; Makaman Kano, Sarki Ibrahim Sarki Dawaki Maituta, Alhaji Bello Abubakar and Sarkin Bai, Alhaji Mukhtar Adnan.
The respondents are the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Kano State House of Assembly, Governor of Kano State, Kano State Attorney General, Tafida Ila (Rano), Ibrahim Abdukadir Gaya (Gaya), Dr Ibrahim Abubakar (Karaye) and Aminu Ado Bayero (Bichi).
The kingmakers, in the originating summon, stated that as kingmakers of Kano, they are entitled to perform their functions in Kano Emirate, as traditionally defined to encompass the entire territory of Kano and cannot be limited or constrained or transferred to a section of the emirate.
They affirmed in their petition that the passage of the law had desecrated centuries-old and highly-revered tradition heritage of Kano people and have uprooted them from their various traditional titles, without giving them or their clans a hearing or giving regard to their ancestral history.
They stated that they, as the traditional kingmakers of Kano Emirate, along with the Emir of Kano, are the custodians of tradition, customs and the heritage of the emirate and are, therefore, entitled to participate and be consulted or heard before the introduction of such drastic and far-reaching changes to the accepted and established tradition and customs of the emirate.
They declared that the governor has no power to appoint, depose or remove any emir without the due enquiry and consultation with the kingmakers, who by tradition and the law, are entitled to be consulted.
They also stated that the legislative powers of the House of Assembly is limited to making laws only for peace, order and good government of the state, adding that the new law which desecrates the age-long tradition and customs of Kano Emirate was not for the peace, order and good governance.
Recall that the governor only last week, assented to a bill for the creation of new emirates in Rano, Bichi, Gaya and Karaye. He appointed emirs for the new emirates as well as issued them with their staff of office a few days after.