Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II has been reinstated as the Emir of Kano, LEADERSHIP has authoritatively gathered.
This decision followed the Kano State House of Assembly’s resolution to dethrone the current Emir and also dismantle the four new Emirates in the State established under a controversial 2019 law.
Though it has not been officially announced, LEADERSHIP has it on good authority that Sanusi II has been reinstated, and is expected in Kano on Friday.
According to credible inside sources, “So certainly with the passage of the Bill, Sanusi automatically stands reinstated. No need for confirmation, the thing to is wait for the Governor to assent to it.”
The then restructuring of the Kano Emirate is seen as a political manoeuvre to diminish the influence of then Emir Sanusi II, a vocal critic of the former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje administration.
The creation of the new emirates fragmented the authority of the old Kano Emirate Council, diluting its power and influence.
Meanwhile, the Majority Leader of the Kano State House of Assembly, Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa, who sponsored the Amendment Bill, shortly after Thursday’s session, revealed to journalists that, “the bill has been sent to the governor for assent, now there is no longer an active Emir in Kano in all the five Emirates; Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye. The law now provides the governor to call on the traditional kingmakers to choose a new king.”
Our correspondent also reports that all the district heads elevated or appointed under the repealed law are to revert to their previous positions.
The law which created five new emirates was first assented to by ex-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on December 5, 2019.
The governor assented to an amendment to the law on 14 October, 2020 and signed another amendment on 11 April, 2023.
Section 3(1) of the law established five distinct emirates; Kano, Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye, with Kano and Karaye having eight local government areas of jurisdiction each, while Bichi and Gaya emirates share 9 local government areas of jurisdiction each, Rano Emirate enjoys jurisdiction over 10 local government areas out of the 44 local councils in the state.
When Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, who chaired the council, was deposed on March 9, 2020, the law was amended to read: “There shall be the chairman of the council who shall be the emir, Kano Emirate”.
Section 12 provides that the governor may grade the office of an emir first, second, or third class subject to the approval of the House of Assembly.
