The brewing crisis over the splitting of Kano Emirate by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje may not simmer any time soon.
A day after the governor inaugurated the four new Emirs he appointed last week, kingmakers in Kano Emirate have gone to court to challenge the propriety or otherwise of the governor’s decision to create the four new emirates.
Many observers see the splitting of Kano Emirate into five as part of an alleged grand plan to depose or whittle the powers of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II.
Ganduje created additional four emirates with First Class Emirs in the state on May 8, 2019. The following day, he named the Emirs and presented them to the public at a grand ceremony. And despite an order by a Kano High Court, on Friday, May 10, asking him to maintain the status quo, and halt the inauguration of the newly appointed Emirs, the governor went ahead to install them the same day.
But four kingmakers in the emirate refused to take the matter lying low as they dragged the governor to a Kano High Court, Wednesday, challenging the legality of Ganduje’s action, maintaining that he stood the history of the Emirate on its head.
The kingmakers are: Madakin Kano, Yusuf Nabahani; Makaman Kano, Sarki Ibrahim; Sarkin Dawaki Maituta, Bello Abubakar and; Sarkin Bai, Mukhtar Adnan Dambatta.
Among others, they deposed that giving effect to the purported law that brought about the four Emirates distorted history, especially with regards to their current positions in the emirate. The top Emirate Council members further said their positions are a heritage they held in trust for their respective clans-Jobawa, Sullubawa, Yolawa and Dambazawa.
On Friday, a Kano High Court sitting at Ungogo ordered the governor to maintain the status quo and take no further action regarding the presentation of letters of appointment and staff of office to the new Emirs.
But the governor, between Saturday and Sunday, presented appointment letters and staffs of office to the new emirs, claiming ignorance of the said court order.
The new emirs are Aminu Ado-Bayero, Bichi; Tafida Ila, Rano; Ibrahim Abdulkadir, Gaya; and Ibrahim Abubakar ll, Karaye.
