In a significant legislative move, the Kano State House of Assembly has passed the Kano Emirates Council Law (Repeal Bill) 2024 that may reinstate the deposed Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II by effectively dissolving the establishment of five new emirates created in the state. This decision came after the bill successfully passed its third reading.
The repeal bill nullifies the establishment of the additional emirates, which included Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye, alongside the historically established Kano Emirate. These changes, first introduced under the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had restructured the state’s traditional governance system.
The newly passed legislation not only disbands the new emirates but also annuls all offices created under the repealed law. Consequently, all district heads who were elevated or appointed to new positions under the previous law are mandated to revert to their former statuses.
Sponsored by the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa, representing the Dala Constituency, the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Law, 2024, aims to streamline the traditional hierarchy in the state. The law, which initially established the five emirates, was first enacted on December 5, 2019, and had undergone amendments on October 14, 2020, and April 11, 2023.
The original Section 3(1) of the law delineated the jurisdictions of the five emirates, allocating eight local government areas each to Kano and Karaye, nine to Bichi and Gaya, and ten to Rano out of the state’s 44 local councils.
Significant changes followed the deposition of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi on March 9, 2020. The amendment then declared, “There shall be the chairman of the council who shall be the emir, Kano Emirate,” centralizing authority.
The law also included provisions, notably Section 12, which allowed the governor to grade the office of an emir as first, second, or third class, subject to legislative approval.
A principal officer of the assembly, preferring anonymity, affirmed the assembly’s resolve, stating, “No Jupiter can stop the assembly from amending the law,” indicating the legislative body’s firm commitment to its decisions.
This repeal marks a return to the traditional structure prior to the 2019 law, reinforcing the Kano Emirate’s historical predominance and traditional governance structure in Kano State. The legislative move is anticipated to have significant impacts on the state’s cultural and administrative landscape.
