Mr. Abdul Muhammed and other legal counsels representing Aminu Ado-Bayero, the 15th Emir of Kano, have withdrawn their services in the ongoing emirship tussle before the Kano State High Court.
The applicants in this case, including the Attorney General of Kano State, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, and the Kano State House of Assembly itself, filed a motion ex parte on May 27.
They sought to restrain Aminu Ado-Bayero and four other dethroned emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye from parading themselves as emirs.
The respondents in the case are Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero, Alhaji Nasiru Ado-Bayero (Emir of Bichi), Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar II (Emir of Karaye), Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad-Inuwa (Emir of Rano), and Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim-Gaya (Emir of Gaya).
Other respondents include the Inspector General of Police, the Director of the State Security Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigerian Army.
During the hearing, Muhammed informed the court that he had filed an affidavit of fact dated July 3, along with a notice of appeal and a motion to stay proceedings. He requested the court to halt proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal court’s decision.
Muhammed said, “My Lord, we were served with the court processes this morning by the applicants.” He then sought an adjournment to respond, but the court denied his request.
Subsequently, Muhammed and his colleagues representing the first respondent applied to withdraw their legal services and appearances.
Counsel for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th respondents, Hassan Tanko-Kyaure, moved for an extension of time dated July 2 and submitted a counter-affidavit in response to the originating motion.
He urged the court to set aside the Kano State Emirates Council (Repeal) Law 2024, arguing that due process was not followed and requested the applicant’s application be dismissed with costs of N1 billion.
Counsel for the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ekwe, stated they had nothing to present and left the decision to the court’s discretion.
Responding on behalf of the applicants, Mr. Eyitayo Fatogun urged the court to disregard the respondents’ affidavit of facts under Order 39 Rules 1 and 2 of the Court.
He argued that the motion was based on a proposed notice of appeal, not an actual notice, and was intended to delay proceedings. Fatogun emphasized that the day’s business was to hear all pending applications.
Fatogun also asked the court to dismiss the third, fourth, and fifth respondents’ applications concerning the Kano Emirate Repeal Law, noting that this issue was not before the court.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu refused the respondents’ application to stay proceedings, stating that they did not disclose any special facts warranting a stay.
The judge adjourned the case until July 18 for rulings on various applications, including an extension of time, a notice of preliminary objection, setting aside the ex parte order, a joinder application, and a request for the judge to recuse herself.
On May 27, the court granted an interim injunction preventing the first five respondents, their servants, and privies from parading themselves as emirs to maintain peace in Kano.
Previously, on May 23, the Kano State House of Assembly dissolved the state’s four newly created emirate councils, and Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf reappointed Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.
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