After months of deliberations the Federal Courts have ruled in the civil case brought before it about the legitimacy of the chiefdoms of Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye in Kano state. These chiefdoms created by Kano state governor Abdullahi ‘Gandollars’ Ganduje, are considered an attempt to weaken the power of the Kano emirate headed by Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a former CBN governor and vocal critic of Ganduje’s rule, backward social and economic policies and corruption. The courts ruled that Aminu Ado Bayero (Emir of Bichi), Ibrahim Gaya (Emir of Gaya), Tafida Ila (Emir of Rano), and Ibrahim Abukakar (Emir of Karaye) were all illegitimate monarchs and should be removed from their roles.

This comes mere weeks after Ganduje, in another power move, ordered the abdication of Emir Sanusi on grounds of insubordination and tried to put him under house in the jurisdiction of another chiefs. The emir’s lawyers made light work on the banishment charge and have looked Ganduje funny ever since.

The four Emirates created by Governor Ganduje have been rejected by the court for its lack of legitimacy. The courts suggests that the governor flouted laws and did not follow due process in the creation o his new emirates. He also violated the constitution in his pursuit to institute the new emirates.

However, Ganduje has no intention of following the rule of law if it contravenes his own objectives. Through his state commissioner for information, Mallam Muhammed Garba, Ganduje has stated that he will continue to regard the emirs as legitimate and will continue to engage with them on matters of state. Ganduje considers it an enshrined right of the executive to create and dissolve religious and cultural institutions like Emirates, an argument he has used to justify his unseating of the Emir of Kano in the past few weeks.  

We’re curious to see how this will play out. Will Ganduje force the hand of the Supreme court to question his own legitimacy?

Editor