The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has stopped the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.
The Appeal Court, on Friday, March 14, 2025, restrained the enforcement of its judgement that upheld the Kano State Government’s repeal of the 2019 Emirate Council Law, pending the determination of a suit at the Supreme Court.
The Court of Appeal in Kano had set aside the June 20 order by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano nullifying the actions taken by the Kano State Government pursuant to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024.
This included appointment of Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The court held that the order nullifying the steps taken by the Kano State Government pursuant to the 2024 Emirates Council Law was made by Justice Liman without jurisdiction.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, the Kano State Government appealed to the Supreme Court and subsequently filed an injunction at the Court of Appeal
It urged the court to stay execution of the judgement pending determination of the appeal at the apex court.
In a judgement on Friday, a three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Okon Abang, ruled on the injunction in two suits marked CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025.
The appeal was brought against the Kano State Government, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies.
Aminu Baba (Sarkin Dawaki Babba) through his application filed on February 6, 2025, sought an order restraining the respondents from enforcing the appellate court’s judgement while an appeal was pending at the Supreme Court.
Emirship: Jubilation in Kano as A’Court rules in Sanusi’s favour
The grounds for the application were that the applicant initially instituted the suit in Kano to protect his fundamental rights.
Others are that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit, and there was a need to restrain the respondents from executing the judgement.
In a unanimous ruling, the three-member panel of Justices led by Abang held that the application was meritorious and deserving of the court’s discretion in the interest of justice.
“The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice,” Justice Abang said.
He held that the mandatory injunction is “ordered that shall be maintain the status quo ante bellum as well as the sheriff of this court and trial court as was the position before the trial court in the its delivered on 13/6/2024 in the suit no. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024.”
Justice Abang, in granting the injunction, emphasised that the applicant’s process was competent and had met all the necessary legal conditions required to obtain the relief sought.
He noted that a valid appeal was already pending before the Supreme Court, reinforcing the need to preserve the subject matter of the litigation.
“In my view, I hold that the balance of convenience lies in his favour. It is deserving to protect him pending the determination of the Supreme Court,” Justice Abang added.
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