Amid raging legal battle over the Kano Emirate stool, Kano state Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Tuesday, signed into law the state’s Emirate C...
Amid raging legal battle over the Kano Emirate stool, Kano state Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Tuesday, signed into law the state’s Emirate Council Establishment Bill 2024.
The Bill, passed by the State House of Assembly, paved the way for the creation of three second-class emirates – Gaya (Gaya, Ajingi and Albasu); Rano (Rabo, Kibiya and Bunkure); and Karaye (Karaye and Rogo).
Before now, the three emirates were first class, courtesy of the new law put in place by the Ganduje administration.
The duo of Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the deposed Emir, Aminu Ado-Bayero, are in court over the validity or otherwise of the state government’s action to put in abeyance the erstwhile law which created additional emirates from Kano Emirate.
The latest pronouncement from a Kano state High Court stopped Bayero from parading himself as the Emir of Kano, having being deposed.
…The fresh twist
But, in a fresh new twist to the Kano emirate drama, the governor signed a new bill into law.
Speaking after signing the bill into law at the Government House, Governor Yusuf said: “The state House of Assembly has discharged yet another constitutional duty by passing the new law to pave the way for the creation of three second class emirates in the state.
“The creation of these emirates would revive the cultural heritage and development in the areas, and by extension, in the state.
“The government believes in the major role of traditional institutions in fostering peace and development.”
He commended the speaker of the state assembly, Isma’il Falgore, for responding to the yearning and aspirations of the people of the state.
The governor tasked the emirates to foster peace and development in their respective emirates.
He said the government would soon announce the emirs appointed to the newly created emirates.
Earlier in his remarks, Hon Falgore said: “It is for the overall development of Kano state. It will bring people closer to the government. It would foster even development in the areas.”
…Govt files fresh charges against Ganduje
Meanwhile, the Kano state government has filed new charges against the immediate-past governor of the state and current National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Musa Lawan.
The duo allegedly committed financial misconduct involving N240 million in the fresh charges.
The charges, listed under case No. K/143c/24 and filed, Tuesday, accused Ganduje and Lawan of criminal conspiracy and misappropriation, offences contrary to Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code (as amended) CAP 105, Vol. 2, Laws of Kano state.
“The duo are standing trial for dishonestly, fraudulently, and without reasonable justification, in the abuse of your respective offices, conspired between yourselves, misappropriated, diverted, and converted the sum of Two Hundred and Forty Million Naira (N240, 000,000.00) to finance purely personal and private cases for your own personal and private benefit, thereby causing wrongful gain to yourselves and wrongful loss to the government and people of Kano State,” the government alleged.
The prosecution plans to present four witnesses to testify against the defendants in the case alleging that Ganduje used his position as governor, to conspire with Lawan, who initiated a memo requesting the funds for civil litigation involving Kano State staff by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The funds were allegedly used to secure an order preventing the EFCC from investigating bribery and corruption allegations against Ganduje.
The charges against Ganduje and Lawan include criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and criminal misappropriation, all contravening various sections of the Penal Code (as amended) CAP 105, Vol. 2 Laws of Kano State.
The court has yet to set a date for the commencement of the trial.
Blueprint reports that this latest legal action adds to a series of legal challenges slammed on the former governor and his associates by the state government.
Recently, a high court in Kano entered a not-guilty plea for Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and other defendants in absentia on an eight-count charge, including bribery, misappropriation, and the diversion of public funds.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, however, dismissed the state government’s application for a bench warrant against the defendants, stating, “The trial of the defendants continues even in their absence.”
Previously, the court had on June 5 granted an order to serve Ganduje and the other defendants through substituted service.
Justice Adamu-Aliyu adjourned the case till October 23 and 24 for the hearing of the preliminary objection and the main charges.
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