The Kano State House of Assembly on Thursday passed a bill dissolving the establishment of four additional emirates created by Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration in the state.
It is titled, ‘The Kano State Emirates Councils (Repeal) Bill, 2024.’
This was announced by the Senior Special Assistant on Digital Media to the state governor, Tuwita on X, stating that the bill was passed after it scaled third reading before the lawmakers.
He wrote: “The Kano state house of assembly has passed Kano emirates council law (repeal bill) 2024 after scaling 3rd reading.
“The law has abrogated establishment of 5 new Emirates in the state. All offices established under the repealed law have been set aside by the new bill. Also all district heads elevated or appointed under the repealed law are to revert to their previous positions.”
The new law is set to abrogate the creation of five emirates done by the former administration of Abdullahi Ganduje in 2019 and the restoration of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano Emirate.
The law was first amended in 2019 during the rift between then-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Sanusi, a former Central Bank Governor.
The first amendment had broken the Kano emirate into five different with the creation of Rano, Karaye, Gaya and Bichi Emirates, and the appointment of first-class emirs for the new emirates, eventually culminating in the deposition of the then-Emir of Kano.
The victory of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the last election had renewed calls for the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi. Ahead of the election, Yusuf promised to restore the old Kano Emirate system.
Before Governor Yusuf was inaugurated, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), assured that the issue of the emirates would be reviewed.
A copy of the new bill document on Thursday stated that the Kano Emirate System would return to its position before the Ganduje government amended the State Emirates Council Law in 2019.
It states that the Kano State Emirates Council Law, 2019 (1441 AH) dated December 5, 2019 (1441 A.H) Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) (Amendment) Law, 2019 (1440 A.H) dated May 8, 2019 and Kano State Emirate Council (Amendment) Law, 2020 (1442 A.H) dated December 5, 2019 (1441 A.H) are hereby repealed.
It continues: “All offices created in the newly created five Emirates under the repealed principal law, dated 5 December 2019 are hereby abrogated. All appointments made under the said repealed Principal Law dated 5 December, 2019 are hereby set aside.
“All traditional office holders and title holders elevated or appointed to office created under the repealed Principal law, dated 5 December2019 shall revert to their position where such positions previously existed under recognized custom and traditions prior to the enactment of the repealed Principal Law dated 5″ December, 2019.”
The new bill once it becomes law would grant the state governor the statutory power to restore the Kano Emirate System to its positions prior to the enactment of the repealed Principal Law dated 5 December, 2019.
It was gathered that the motion for the second reading of the bill was moved by the deputy speaker, and seconded by the lawmaker who represented Kiru constituency.
The bill was sponsored by Majority Leader Hon. Lawan Hussaini Chediyar ‘yan Gurasa.
The clerk of the House, Alh. Bashir Idris Diso presented the first reading in today’s session.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Jibril Ismail Falgore presided over the legislative session for the passage of the bill.