By Divine Sam
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended the enforcement of its January 10 ruling, which had upheld the Kano State government’s repeal of the 2019 Emirates Council Law. This decision will remain in place pending the Supreme Court’s final judgment on the matter.
A three-member panel, led by Justice Okon Abang, issued the ruling on Friday, granting a stay of execution. This effectively maintains the current state of affairs in the ongoing legal dispute over the Kano Emirate.
Previously, the appellate court had overturned a June 20, 2024, ruling by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano. That ruling had nullified the Kano State government’s dissolution of five emirates and the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano. The Court of Appeal determined that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over the case.
Following this, Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi (Sarkin Dawaki Babba) filed an injunction request against the Kano State Government, the Speaker of the State Assembly, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies. He sought to prevent the implementation of the appellate court’s ruling until the Supreme Court reached a decision.
In a unanimous ruling, the Court of Appeal found merit in the application and granted the injunction. Justice Abang emphasized the importance of judicial discretion and fairness, stating, “The law is settled. The court must exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice.”
The ruling mandates that all parties maintain the “status quo ante bellum,” preserving the situation as it was before the Federal High Court’s June 13, 2024, judgment. Justice Abang further noted that the applicant, having served as Emir for five years before his removal, had legal rights that must be protected until the Supreme Court issues its final verdict.
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