ON Thursday, a High Court sitting in Kano nullified the appointment and creation of an additional four Emirates in the state on grounds, the appointment followed no due process.

The creation of the additional Emirates comes on the heels of a passage of the bill by the State House of Assembly, seeking the establishment of four additional Emirates, namely; Rano, Gaya, Karaya and Bichiin.

The state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje had assented to the bill and issued letters of appointment to the four new first-class emirs.

Those presented with the letters of appointment include Aminu Ado Bayero, the son of Late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, as the Emir of Bichi; Ibrahim Abulkadir as the Emir of Gaya; Tafida Abubakar as the Emir Of Rano and Abubakar Ibrahim II as the Emir of Karaye.

However, in May, a former minority leader of the State House of Assembly,  Salisu Gwarzo had filed a suit challenging the legitimacy of their appointment and the deposition law 2019 that led to the creation of the additional Emirates.

So, in the hearing on Thursday, Justice Usman Na’abba said the Kano State House of Assembly violated section 101 of the Nigerian Constitution which gives the assembly the power to enact its rules and guidelines of proceedings.

He nullified the proceedings of the state assembly conducted on May 6, 7 and 8 which had created the new Emirates, stating that the legislature’s rules should have been in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution.

The judge also dismissed preliminary objections which had earlier challenged the jurisdiction of the court to handle the case and the right of the plaintiff to challenge the new Kano law.

Na’abba noted that the plaintiff, being the minority leader in the state assembly, had sufficient reasons for filing the suit and thus had the ‘locus standi’ to do so.

The judge restrained the four new emirs appointed by Ganduje to desist from parading themselves as first-class emirs.

Moreover, while it was reported that the creation of the four Emirates would make Kano traditional system more efficient, some others, claimed it was illegal and would incite unnecessary spending of funds.

Rather, they urged the government to concentrate on pressing issues, such as depletion of revenues, healthcare, security and educational challenges in the state.

Similarly, on November 20, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State withdrew the crowns of the twenty-one chiefs in Ibadan who were elevated to the status of kings by the former governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

Such development had caused a long rift among the Olubandan and some of the chiefs-in-council which led to Makinde opting for an out-of-court settlement to help restore peace between the Olubadan and his estranged chiefs.