From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of the Kano State High Court has ordered the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, and the four other dethroned emirs of Gaya, Bichi, Karaye and Rano Emirates to stop parading themselves as emirs.
Justice Aliyu delivered the judgment, yesterday, in a case involving the Attorney General of Kano State, the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, and the state House of Assembly as applicants versus Aminu Ado Bayero and the four emirs as respondents.
The judge upheld the reliefs sought by the applicants in their originating summon, affirming that the Kano State governor has the power to assent to a bill made by the Kano State House of Assembly, while the state House of Assembly has the power to amend or make a law by virtue of Section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Justice Aliyu also ordered Bayero and the rest of the monarchs to surrender all the movable and immovable properties belonging to their Emirate Councils in their possession, including their emirates’ symbols of authority, to the Kano State government.
The judge declared the action of the security agencies to bring Aminu Ado Bayero into the Nasarawa mini palace as a flagrant disobedience of the laws of the constitution of the land and a counter to their assignment to provide peace and security in the state. She urged the security agencies to abide by the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council repealed law 2024 and ensure the full compliance of that law in the state.
Justice Aliyu also set aside the leave for the counsels to Aminu Ado Bayero to withdraw from the case, saying that they did not follow the laid down procedure to recuse themselves from the case. She said they ought to have applied on notice and then served all the parties involved in the case, and should not have withdrawn orally as they had done in the particular instance.
At the last sitting of the court on July 4, 2024, the legal team of Aminu Ado Bayero had withdrawn their appearance, staging a walkout on the court. Their withdrawal was sequel to the refusal of the court to adjourn the case to allow them time to properly respond to the statement of claims made by the Attorney General of the state and the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly in their originating summons.
The lead counsel to Bayero’ team, Barrister Abdullahi Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the entire team, after failed efforts to secure a future date from the court, explained that they had no alternative following what happened in court, but to withdraw their appearance and report back to their client, so he could appoint another counsel to represent him.