The Court of Appeal in Abuja has instructed all parties involved in the Kano Emirship dispute to exercise caution while awaiting the hearing of their appeals at the Supreme Court.
Additionally, the appellate court has suspended any actions previously taken regarding the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-judge panel led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, the court upheld the withdrawal of the application filed by the Kano State Government after the appeal record was transmitted to the Supreme Court.
The Kano State Government had reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano under the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024. This same law also validated the removal of Aminu Ado Bayero as the 15th Emir, along with four first-class emirs appointed by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Meanwhile, on Friday, March 14, 2025, Justice Okon Abang issued a ruling that stayed the execution of the Appeal Court’s earlier judgment, which had validated the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano. The judge also instructed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, preserving the position as it stood prior to the trial court’s decision on June 13, 2024.
Dissatisfied with Justice Abang’s ruling, the respondents criticized it as a serious misinterpretation of constitutional provisions, pointing out that an appeal had already been filed with the Supreme Court.
In response to the application notice, the appellant’s counsel, Abdul Fagge (SAN), did not oppose the notice but confirmed that the respondents had acted in accordance with constitutional provisions.
At the resumed hearing on the enforcement of its earlier orders, counsel to the Kano State Government, Ibrahim Wangida, informed the court of a notice of appeal filed against a stay of execution order issued on Friday, 14 March 2025.
Wangida stated that all necessary legal actions had been completed, including the transmission of the record to the Supreme Court.
The transmission of the record of appeal to the Supreme Court, by implication and as established by judicial precedent, operates as a stay of any action on the ruling of the Court of Appeal of March 14, 2025.
Upon his submission, the court ordered parties to exercise caution pending the hearing of their appeals before the Supreme Court.