Spokesperson of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, Dawakin-Tofa Bature, says the ongoing emirship tussle in the State is a “fight to the finish.”
He disclosed this on Arise Television’s Newsnight, on Friday while speaking on the tussle between the dethroned 15th Emir, Ado Bayero and the 16th, Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi.
According to him, the state government will pursue the case “vigorously.”
Reacting, Bature said the federal high court lacks the jurisdiction to try the case.
“We have filed an appeal at the appeal court and for that reason, the judge of the high court decided to stay the proceeding and transferred the case to his counterpart of court three of the same federal high court in Kano.
“So, therefore, we are now waiting for the appeal. We will appeal this case up to the supreme court. This is an interlocutory appeal.
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“First, we are challenging the jurisdiction of the federal high court to entertain issues related to chieftaincy affairs because constitutionally, issues to do with chieftaincy affairs lie with the state high court.
“We have instituted two cases before the state high court in Kano and they came almost in conflict with the two cases at the federal high court.
“So, therefore, we will pursue this case vigorously, and it is a fight to the finish,” he said.
A Federal High Court in Kano had on Thursday nullified all actions of the state government repealing the Emirates Council Law of 2019.
In his ruling, Muhammad Liman, the presiding judge, said the defendants were aware of an interim order previously granted by the court but ignored it and implemented the law.
On May 23, the Kano House of Assembly passed the amended bill, which Yusuf signed into law.
The law repealed the 2019 version, which divided the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions and was relied upon to dethrone Sanusi as emir in 2020.
On the same day the law was repealed, Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano by kingmakers and the governor.
Aggrieved, Aminu Babba Dan Agundi and Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate approached the court to restrain the respondents from enforcing, implementing, and operationalising the law that reinstated Sanusi.
Liman however ordered the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024, as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created according to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.
