Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has taken to social media to inject humor into the ongoing Kano Emirate dispute, comparing the legal proceedings to a football tournament.
In a tweet on X, Sani referred to the court battles between the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, and the deposed Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero, as stages in a sports competition.
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He wrote: “Kano Emirate tussle: High Court is the quarter-finals, Appeal Court is the semi-finals, and Supreme Court is the final. The scores so far are 1:1. I predict a penalty kick between Team Brother Aminu FC and Team Brother Sanusi FC.”
The roots of the dispute date back to 2019 when the Kano State government, under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, passed the Kano Emirate Law, which split the Kano Emirate into five smaller emirates. This move, which significantly reduced the power of the Emir of Kano, was widely seen as a direct challenge to Sanusi’s authority, as he had been outspoken on various political and economic issues.
In 2024, the legal battle took a dramatic turn when the Kano Federal High Court, led by Justice Abubakar Liman, ruled to nullify Sanusi’s appointment as Emir of Kano, citing the controversial emirate law. However, the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court overturned this ruling, reinstating Sanusi. The Kano State government responded by deposing Aminu Ado Bayero, the son of the former Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, and reinstating Sanusi, following the repeal of the Kano Emirate Law by the state House of Assembly.
Currently, the court of Appeal reinstated Sanusi as Emir of Kano. Bayero plans to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, while the Kano State Government urges respect for the ruling.
