The governor of Kano state, Abba Kabir Yusuf has announced the appointment of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi as the new Emir of Kano.
He made the announcement after signing the new emirate council law at Government House, Kano, on Thursday 23rd, 2024.
The governor signed the law at exactly then minutes past five o’clock, alongside his deputy, the Speaker of the State Assembly and other principal officers in the government.
Addressing a media briefing after signing the law, Governor Yusuf directed the sacked monarchs to vacate official residences and palaces and hand over to the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs within two days.
This means Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, who initially succeeded Sanusi, has only 48 hours to vacate the seat.
Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was appointed as the 14th Emir of Kano in June 2014 by the administration of former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, with Ganduje as deputy governor of the state before the latter eventually became governor in May 2015.
As Kano emir, Sanusi fell out with the Ganduje administration over his outspoken nature.
He was deposed in March 2020 after 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.
The then state government said he was removed “to safeguard the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion and prestige of the Kano emirate,” accusing the emir of “total disrespect” of institutions and the governor’s office.
But Sanusi’s supporters believed he was ousted for opposing Ganduje’s re-election in 2019.
Upon securing a second term mandate, Ganduje split the Kano emirate into five and appointed four more emirs to weaken Sanusi’s influence.
Five years after his controversial removal as emir, the Kano State House of Assembly resolved to amend the law after Majority Leader Hussien Dala moved the motion during plenary.
“The need to revisit the Emirs Law has become imperative to address the issues that have arisen from the 2019 amendment. We must ensure that our traditional institutions are governed by laws that reflect fairness and justice,” Dala said.
On his part, the Speaker of the Kano House of Assembly, Jibril Isma’il Falgore, promised to ensure that the process of amendment follows due process and transparency.
The law that booted Sanusi from office is known as the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law. It was promulgated in 2019 by the Ganduje administration after having a running battle with the deposed emir.
