The Court of Appeal in Abuja has temporarily halted the reinstatement of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.
A three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Okon Abang, on Friday, unanimously ordered a stay on the implementation of the January 10 judgment. The ruling had vacated a Kano State High Court decision that nullified Sanusi’s appointment, declaring the initial ruling to have been made without proper jurisdiction.
The January 10 judgment, delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, ruled that the invalidation of Sanusi II’s appointment was an error since the matter, being a chieftaincy dispute, should have been heard by the Kano State High Court instead of the Federal High Court.
However, the appellate court’s decision to halt the earlier judgment was based on new applications (CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025), which it found to be valid. Justice Abang affirmed that the appeal process before the Supreme Court should be allowed to proceed without the immediate implementation of the previous ruling.
He emphasized the need to preserve the subject matter, particularly since Sanusi had served as emir for five years before his removal, which warranted protection.
The Federal High Court in Kano, led by Justice Abubakar Liman, had annulled the Kano State Government’s Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The court also directed the involved parties, including the Kano State House of Assembly, to maintain the status quo during the reign of Emir Ado Bayero.
The appellate court referenced Sections 251 of the Nigerian Constitution and 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act, asserting that this was a chieftaincy matter that should be dealt with by the Kano State High Court or the FCT High Court, rather than the Federal High Court.
The court then ordered that the suit should be transferred to the Kano State High Court, where a new judge would handle the case.
Additionally, a cost of N500,000 was awarded against the plaintiff, Dan’Agundi, and in favor of the Kano State House of Assembly.
Despite some differing opinions from Justices Mohammed Mustapha and Abdul Dogo, the case was ultimately struck out.
This ruling has emerged from multiple appeals related to the same matter, involving various parties such as the Kano State Assembly.
