Kano State Governor, Mallam Abba Yusuf, on Friday, presented a letter of reinstatement to Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The event at the state Government House in Kano following the reappointment of the monarch four years after his deposition.
The governor said: “By the powers conferred on me by the Kano Emirate Council Law of 1984 and 2024, and supported by the recommendation of the kingmakers, I have the singular pleasure of confirming the reappointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano and the head of the Kano Emirate Council”.
Yusuf noted that Sanusi’s reappointment was “based on his competence, credibility and popularity,” urging the new Kano Emir “to be guided by the principles of Islamic teachings and to use his position to unite the emirate, fostering harmony among the Islamic sects in the state”.
Sanusi II had initially ruled as the 14th Emir.
In 2020, he had a fallout with the then Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who is now the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.
The state House of Assembly would later pass a bill to split the Kano Emirate Council, majorly under Sanusi’s control, into five emirates, thereby lowering his influence.
Afterwards, Sanusi was sacked on 9 March 2020, and replaced by the recently deposed 15th Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero.
However, the Assembly, on Thursday, dissolved all the five newly created emirate councils in the state – Bichi, Karaye, Gaya, Rano; including Kano, and passed the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024 which replaced the Kano State Emirates Council Law, 2019.
The 2024 Bill gave the way to reinstate Sanusi.
In addition, the governor gave the five emirs a 48-hour ultimatum to vacate their official residences and palaces.
Reacting to this, the governor, while recalling past events during the turmoil, said Sanusi was victimised when he was dethroned as the emir, adding that his reinstatement is good for the people of the state.
“We had a series of meetings with the kingmakers yesterday, extensive discussions with the Speaker, and we also sat with all the heads of security. At the end of the day, we all gathered in the chamber where I received the bill that repealed the former law, and we signed the new law repealing all the appointments.
“We did that out of our convictions and belief that this gentleman was victimised in 2019. We all feel that we must restore what is due to the good people of the state.
“Let me use this opportunity to humbly thank the Speaker and all members of the House for your determination and respect for the rule of law. It shows your interest in the welfare of the people of the state”, Yusuf said.
Present at the event were traditional rulers, kingmakers, and other top dignitaries.
