Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 14th Emir of Kano, is on his way back to the throne, Daily Trust can report.
“Emir Sanusi is currently preparing for his return to the throne. Although he is not in town at the moment, we are expecting his return on Friday,” one of the sources said.
Sanusi, who fell out with ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, was dethroned in 2020.
Ahead of his deposition, the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law was promulgated by the Ganduje administration in 2019, and four additional emirates were created – Rano, Karaye, Gaya, Bichi.
Sanusi’s reinstatement as Kano Emir started with the Kano State House of Assembly repealing the law that had established five Emirates in the state, effectively removing all current Emirs except for the central Emir of Kano.
“This bill in its entirety has abrogated the establishment of the five new Emirates in the state and reverted to the former status of a single Emir in Kano which we inherited since the Jihad of Shehu Usman Dan Fodio,” said Majority Leader Lawal Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa after the repeal was passed on Thursday as quoted by Daily Trust.
The controversial splitting of the ancient Kano Emirate into five domains by former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in 2019 has drawn widespread criticism for allegedly dividing the state along ethnic lines. Ganduje had also dethroned the 14th Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II, after a long-running dispute.
“The abolished Emirates did nothing but create division among the indigenes of Kano. The unity which was visible thousands of years in Kano was divided. We are now reverting back to our old historical background; one Kano, one people, one Emir,” Yan Gurasa stated.
But as the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) controlled Kano House of Assembly repealed the law on May 23, 2024, paving the way for the abolishment of the emirates and changes introduced by the law under Ganduje.
According to a copy of the repealed bill sighted by Daily Trust, “All offices created in the newly created five Emirates under the repealed principal law, dated 5th December, 2019 are hereby abrogated. All appointment made under the said repealed Principal Law dated 5th December, 2019 are hereby set aside.”
Sources told Daily Trust that Governor Abba Yusuf would sign the bill into law, on Thursday, but as of the time of filing this report the governor had not appended his signature to the bill to make it a law.
Details later…
