After removing Sanusi, Kano lawmakers amend emirate law

Barely six months after the controversial dethronement of Muhammadu Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, the state’s House of Assembly has passed the Emirate Council Amendment Bill 2020 making major changes such as the appointment of additional kingmakers.

Mr Sanusi was dethroned on 9th March for alleged disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the state governor and other lawful authorities, including his persistent refusal to attend official meetings and programs organised by the state government.

In 2019, the lawmakers approved the creation of four additional emirate councils, bringing the number of first-class emirs in the state to five.

The creation of the additional emirate councils then was widely believed to be targeted at whittling down the powers of the dethroned emir.

Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano State Governor, on July 22, requested the consent of the lawmakers to make the Emir of Kano permanent chairman of the state emirate council and appoint others as kingmakers, including the one sacked by Nigeria’s supreme court.

Abdulazeez Gafasa, Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, during Tuesday’s plenary, adopted the amendment bill.

The new law has abolished the rotational chairmanship for the state’s five first-class Emirs. Instead, the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, is now the permanent chairman.

The House majority leader, Kabiru Dashi, said the amendment made provisions for the Emir of Kano to serve as the chairman of the Council of Emirs, thus, putting the issue of rotation to an end.

Mr Dashi added that the amended law has also changed the nomenclature of the Council of Chiefs, now to be called the Council of Emirs.

The House approved the new title of the ‘Sarkin Dawaki Babba’ conferred on Aminu Babba-Dan’Agundi to be the fifth kingmaker in the Kano Emirate. He was sacked by the supreme court while holding the title of ‘Sarkin Dawaki Maituta’.

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Mr Babba-Dan’Agundi was deposed by the late Emir Ado Bayero 17 years ago following alleged political interference and insubordination.

Also, in the new law, the number of kingmakers has also increased from four to five members across the emirates. The increase, according to the lawmakers, is to allow for a free and fair election of a new emir whenever there is a vacancy.

The new kingmakers include the secretary to the state government (SSG), Usman Alhaji. He was appointed as a kingmaker for Gaya Emirate which also conferred on him the traditional title of ‘Wazirin Gaya.’