BREAKING: Appeal Court halts enforcement of Kano Emirate Law judgment pending Supreme Court decision

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has put on hold the enforcement of its January 10 judgment, which upheld the Kano State Government’s repeal of the 2019 Emirate Council Law.

This decision will remain in effect until the Supreme Court rules on the appeal filed by the state government.

In its ruling on Friday, a three-member panel led by Justice Okon Abang granted an injunction restraining the respondents from acting on the appellate court’s earlier judgment, maintaining the status quo until the Supreme Court delivers its verdict.

The legal dispute stems from the Kano State Government’s enactment of the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which dissolved the five newly created emirates and reinstated Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.

A Federal High Court in Kano had initially nullified the law, but the Court of Appeal overturned that decision, citing a lack of jurisdiction by the lower court.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the Kano State Government took the case to the Supreme Court and sought a stay of execution from the Appeal Court to prevent any action based on the judgment while the appeal was pending.

One of the applicants, Aminu Babba Dan’agundi (Sarkin Dawaki Babba), had argued that the appellate court’s ruling should not be enforced yet, as the case was still under review by the Supreme Court.

The court upheld this argument, stating that the applicant’s legal rights deserved protection and that the balance of convenience favored his request.

Justice Abang emphasized that the injunction was necessary to prevent a legal vacuum and ensure justice, directing the applicant to file an undertaking within 14 days to indemnify the respondents in case the order was found unnecessary.

With this ruling, all actions concerning the Kano Emirate Council Law remain suspended until the Supreme Court delivers a final judgment on the matter.