From Desmond Mgboh, Kano

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mamman Yusufari, at the weekend, insisted that the ruling of the Federal High Court had voided Muhammadu Sanusi’s reinstatement, contrary to the claim by the Kano State government.

Yusufari, a professor of Law, spoke on a radio programme, ‘Rigar Kaya’ anchored by Yakubu Musa-Fagge, where he insisted that the ruling annulled all actions and steps taken by the state government in respect of the law.

“The governor appointed Mr Sanusi after the court order. The court gave the order on 23rd May and the governor reappointed Sanusi on 24 May,” he stated.

“The judge described the governor’s action as disrespectful and cannot be tolerated in a country with law and order because nobody is above the law.

“In the eyes of the law, the appointment of Sanusi didn’t exist because it was conducted in disregard to the law of the land,” he asserted.

“The judge was silent on the validity or otherwise of the Kano Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024 but said all other actions taken by the governor before the court order is null and void, which includes the signing of the law by the governor, meaning that the Kano Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, is still a bill, not a law.

“With this, all the five Kano emirate councils are still in force because there is no law in place that removed them. The appointment of Mr Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano is illegal. With this, all parties in the crisis are maintaining the status quo as directed by the court.

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“The substantive case will continue at the High Court if the Appeal Court rules on the jurisdiction suit in favour of the applicant, but if it ruled against it, the case will definitely reach the Supreme Court, because I doubt if any of the contenders will surrender at the Appeal Court,” he stated.

It could be recalled that Thursday night, Kano State Attorney General, Haruna Isa Dederi, addressed the press and insisted that the ruling favoured the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi.

In his words, “The Kano State Government acknowledges the ruling by the Federal High Court regarding the Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 and views same as upholding the rule of law.”

“By the ruling of the Court, it has unequivocally reaffirmed the validity of the law passed by Kano State House of Assembly and assented to by His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kano State on Thursday 23rd May, 2024 by 5:10pm” he stated

“Further implication of the ruling is that all actions done by the Government before the emergence of the interim order of the honourable Court, are equally validated.

“This means that the abolishing of the five emirates created in 2019 is validated and the deposition of the five emirs is also sustained by the Federal High Court,” he said.

“By implication this means that Muhammadu Sanusi II remains the emir of Kano. The judge also granted our application for the stay of proceedings until the Court of Appeal deals with the appeal before it on jurisdiction.”

“Happily, the signing of the law and the reinstatement of His Highness, Emir Muhamamdu Sunusi II were done on 23rd May, 2024 before the emergence of the Interim Order which was served on us on Monday 27th May, 2024” he said.