It appears a bad day for Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, as the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja today, Friday, March 14, halted the enforcement of its January 10,2025 judgment on his status.
The verdict had upheld the Kano State Government’s repeal of the 2019 Emirates Council Law, pending the Supreme Court’s determination of an appeal on the same matter.
The latest ruling was delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Okon Abang.
Granting a stay of execution, the appellate court effectively maintained the status quo in the ongoing legal fireworks over the Kano Emirate tussle.
On June 20, 2024, the Appeal Court had jettisoned set aside a ruling by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, which voided the Kano State Government’s dissolution of five emirates in the state as well as the subsequent reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The appellate court, at the time, held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over the case.
Dissatisfied, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, approached the higher court with an injunction request against the Kano State Government, the Speaker of the State Assembly, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies.
In it, he prayed the court to restrain the respondents from enforcing the appellate court’s judgment while awaiting the apex court’s decision.
However, in its unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal agreed that the application had merit and granted the injunction.
Justice Abang held that: “The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice.”
He ordered that all parties must maintain the “status quo ante bellum,” returning to the situation as obtained before the Federal High Court’s judgment on June 13, 2024.
Justice Abang observed that the applicant, having served as Emir for five years before his removal, had legal rights that required protection until the Supreme Court delivers a final verdict.
