The National Coalition of Northern Lawyers and Public Interest Activists (NCNLPIA) has endorsed the Federal High Court’s decision in Kano, which annulled the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano,leadership reports.
In a statement, the group said, “The judgment vindicates the widespread view on the illegality of the Kano State Government’s actions in dissolving the Kano Emirates and dethroning Emir Ado Bayero.”
At a press conference on Friday, the Coalition’s convener, Barrister Napoleon Otache, praised the court for upholding the rule of law and protecting the integrity of traditional institutions. He called the ruling a victory for justice, truth, and the people of Kano State.
The group urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to apologize to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, for the alleged humiliation and hardship caused by his dethronement and the dissolution of the Kano Emirate Council.
Otache advised the governor to respect the court’s decision and work towards peace and reconciliation in Kano State.
“In nullifying the illegality embarked upon by Governor Yusuf and his associates, the court has once again demonstrated that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man,” Otache said. “We are reminded that might does not make right and that the will of the people is paramount. Those who are in the right need not resort to violence to defend their rights.”
“The court’s ruling underscores that the rule of law must be obeyed. The defect leading to the nullification of the 16th Emir’s reappointment stemmed from the governor’s rush to implement a law that the court had ruled to be suspended.”
“This ruling should serve as a wake-up call to the Kano State Government that it cannot establish a state-level dictatorship as envisioned by the governor, which sought to undermine the constitutionally guaranteed separation of powers among the executive, legislature, and judiciary.”
“The judiciary has provided a necessary correction to the transformation of the Kano State House of Assembly into a rubber-stamp body, issuing harmful legislation to satisfy Governor Yusuf’s whims.”
“We call on the Kano State Government to avoid wasting taxpayer resources on frivolous appeals and to cooperate with Emir Ado Bayero as the duly recognized Emir of the Kano Emirate Council, fully reinstating his official status in the interest of peace and in accordance with the court’s order. We are confident that all other pending legal challenges will align with the Federal High Court’s ruling,” he stated.
