The Court of Appeal in Abuja has put a hold on 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 until the Supreme Court rules 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 status quo in the ongoing legal battle over the Kano Emirate dispute.
Previously, the appellate court had overturned a June 20, 2024, ruling by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano, which had nullified the Kano State government’s dissolution of five Emirates and reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano. The Court of Appeal ruled 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 enforcement of the appellate court’s judgement while the Supreme Court reviews the case.
In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the application. Justice Abang stated, “The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice.”
The ruling mandates all parties to maintain the “status quo ante bellum,” preserving conditions as they were before the Federal High Court’s June 13, 2024, judgement. Justice Abang also emphasized that the applicant, having served as Emir for five years before his removal, has legal rights that must be protected until the Supreme Court reaches a final decision.
