- Kano govt insists on demolition of mini palace
- CP: Why police won’t obey eviction order
- Sanusi, Bayero lead separate Jumat
There was palpable tension in Kano yesterday as security operatives blocked the entrances to the mini palace of the deposed 15th emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.
The security beef-up around the mini palace followed alleged move by the Kano State Government to evict the emir from the palace.
The ancient city has produced two emirs since the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th emir by the Kano State Government on May 23.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf then ordered the police to immediately evict Aminu Bayero from the Nasarawa palace where he is currently staying.
The governor had on Thursday threatened to start demolishing the dilapidated parts of the Nasarawa palace yesterday for reconstruction and renovation.
Soon after the governor’s declaration of his intention to demolish the Nasarawa palace, some bulldozers and loaders were seen at government House on Thursday night, fueling fears that Governor Yusuf would make good his threat.
When our correspondent visited the Nasarawa palace located just a few metres from the Government House yesterday, the property and its environs had turned into a tourist sight of sorts as residents milled around in expectation of the bulldozers.
The traffic of people at the Nasarawa palace was exacerbated by rumours and social media reports by Sanusi’s supporters that “the bulldozers are coming.”
“I’m here to witness how Abba’s bulldozers will pull down this palace,” said 32-year-old Ahmed.
As it turned out, however, the bulldozers failed to show up.
Police decline Governor’s order to evict Bayero, tighten security
The police yesterday declined Governor Yusuf’s directive to arrest deposed emir Aminu Bayero.
Instead, security agents beefed up security around the palace as the four major routes leading to the palace were blocked by security personnel and their vehicles.
Kano State Police Commissioner, Ussain Gumel, said obeying the governor’s eviction order would be tantamount to “jumping the gun.”
He said: “The government is jumping the gun, because the same government has filed a case on the eviction order, which is coming up on the 24th of June, 2024.
“So, if we carry out the order, it is like we are pre-empting the court, because we don’t know what will happen at the court.”
One of his (Bayero’s) supporters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was still in the mini palace receiving the traditional greetings from some traditional rulers loyal to him.
The two emirs on Friday presided over the palace sitting in their domains, playing host to their subjects who came to pay loyalty. They also observed the Juma’at prayers apart at different mosques.
Sanusi is occupying the main palace while Bayero is staying at the Nasarawa palace, which is regarded as a resting or mini palace.
Coalition of lawyers hails court ruling, ask Kano gov to apologise to Emir Bayero
Read Also: JUST IN: Court quashes dethronement of Emir Bayero, others
The National Coalition of Northern Lawyers and Public Interest Activists (NCNLPIA) yesterday lauded the ruling annulling the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano.
The group said the judgment vindicated the popular stance on the illegality of the Kano State Government’s action in dissolving the Kano Emirates and dethroning Emir Ado Bayero.
Justice Abdullahi Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano overturned the decisions taken by Governor Abba Yusuf after the Kano Emirate law was amended by the State House of Assembly on May 23, 2024.
Justice Liman faulted the governor’s assent to the bill and the presentation of an appointment letter to Sanusi on May 24, 2024 despite an order of court directing all parties to maintain the status quo.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, Convener of the coalition, Napoleon Otache, commended the court for upholding the rule of law and protecting the sanctity of traditional institutions, adding that the ruling was a victory for justice, truth, and the people of Kano State.
Otache therefore urged Governor Yusuf to apologise to Emir Ado Bayero for the humiliation and hardship inflicted upon him due to the unlawful dissolution of the Kano Emirates.
He advised the Governor to respect the court’s decision and work towards peace and reconciliation in Kano State.
He said: “In nullifying the illegality embarked upon by the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf and his associates, the court has again proven that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.
“We have been reminded that might is not right and that the will of the people matters in addition to the demonstration that those who are in the right need not resort to violence to defend their rights.
“The court’s ruling has demonstrated that the rule of law must be obeyed since the defect that led to the nullification of the re-appointment of the 16th Emir resulted from the governor rushing to implement a law that the court had ruled to be placed on hold.
“It is now also clear that rushing to a slew of actions based on illegitimate premises would not make such illegal actions endure. The governor and Muhammadu Sanusi II must have realised by now that all they achieved with the drama they acted amounted to a nullity and a tragic waste of public resources to massage their egos.
“The ruling should be a wake-up call to the Kano State Government that it cannot introduce a state-level dictatorship as envisaged by the governor, one that sought to obliterate the constitutionally guaranteed separation of powers among the executive, legislature and judiciary.
“The judiciary has given the rude awakening that it is there to correct the conversion of the Kano State House of Assembly into the rubber stamp factory that churned out destructive legislations to satisfy Governor Yusuf’s whims.
“The National Coalition of Northern Lawyers and Public Interest Activists is of the view that it is time for Governor Yusuf to acknowledge that he has lost the battle in this matter of the Kano Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024.
“Even though it was not the purpose for which he occupied office, he is welcome to continue with the imaginary war he is waging on his perceived enemies, but, this particular battle on the emirate issue is one he must acknowledge is lost.
“We consequently call on the Kano State Government not to waste the taxpayers’ resources on frivolous appeals but to continue to work with Emir Ado Bayero as the duly recognised Emir of Kano Emirate Council with his full official paraphernalia of office in the interest of peace and in accordance with the order of the court.
“We make this call knowing that all other pending legal challenges on the matter would naturally align with the Federal High Court ruling.”
