Four kingmakers in Kano Emirate have sued Governor Abdullahi Ganduje for creating four new emirates and appointing first-class emirs for them. They also want the court to set aside the creation of the new emirates in Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi.
Other defendants joined in the suit are the Speaker of the Kano House of Assembly, the Kano House of Assembly and the Attorney General of Kano State. Also included are the new emirs: Tafida Abubakar-Ila, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, Ibrahim Abubakar ll and Aminu Ado-Bayero.
The four plaintiffs are Madakin Kano, District head of Dawakintofa, Yusuf Nabahani; Makaman Kano, District head of Wudil, Abdullahi Sarki-Ibrahim; Sarkin Dawaki Mai Tuta, District head of Gabasawa, Bello Abubakar and Sarkin Ban Kano, District head of Dambatta, Mukhtar Adnan.
The summons specifically asked the court to set aside the appointment of Messrs Tafida Abubakar-Ila, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, Ibrahim Abubakar ll and Aminu Ado-Bayero as Emirs of Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi respectively.
It also requested the court “to restrain Tafida Abubakar-Ila, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, Ibrahim Abubakar ll and Aminu Ado-Bayero from parading themselves as Emirs of Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi respectively.”
They argued in the writ of summons that “Kano existed for over 1000 years since 999 AD. Following the Fulani Jihad led by Shehu Uthman Danfodio of 1804 and the conquest of Kano in 1807, it became an emirate under the ridership of an emir.
“The plaintiff are the traditional Kingmakers of Kano Emirate representing the leading Fulani clans that led the Jihad in Kano, namely, Yolawa, Jo6awa, Sullubawa and Dambazawa clans. They have exercised the traditional responsibility of Kingmakers since circa 1819, in addition to being district heads and superintending over various territories within the Kano emirate.
“The defendants acting capriciously, arbitrarily and in manifest bad faith, hurriedly, without observing due process or conducting any hearing and in a pretended exercise of purported constitutional powers passed a law claiming to alter this over 1000 years of history and tradition by creating or establishing this so-called new Emirates of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye and appointing new Emirs to these so-called new Emirates.”
The writ of summons requested Mr Ganduje and seven other defendants “to enter appearance within 21 days of receiving the writ.”
