Barring any last minute changes, the Government of Kano state will announce the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.
His planned reinstatement followed the Kano State House of Assembly’s resolution to dethrone the current Emir and also dismantle the four new Emirates in the State established under a controversial 2019 law.
Though it has not been officially announced, LEADERSHIP has it on good authority that Sanusi II has been reinstated, and is expected in Kano on Friday.
According to credible inside sources, the former Governor of Central Bank stands reinstated
The source said: “So certainly with the passage of the Bill, Sanusi automatically stands reinstated. No need for confirmation, the thing to is wait for the Governor to assent to it.”
The Majority Leader of the Kano State House of Assembly, Lawan Gurasa, who sponsored the Amendment Bill, shortly after Thursday’s session, revealed that Bill has been sent to the Governor, Abba Yusuf.
He said: “The bill has been sent to the governor for assent, now there is no longer an active Emir in Kano in all the five Emirates; Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye. The law now provides the governor to call on the traditional kingmakers to choose a new king.”
The restructuring of the Kano Emirate was seen as a political manoeuvre to diminish the influence of then Sanusi, a vocal critic of the former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje administration.
The creation of the new emirates fragmented the authority of the old Kano Emirate Council, diluting its power and influence.
TheHintsNews reports that Sanusi succeeded his great-uncle Ado Bayero to the throne on 8 June 2014, and spent most of his reign advocating for cultural reform in Northern Nigeria, until his dethronement on 9 March 2020.
He was in his private residence in Gidan Rumfa when he learnt of his removal, while awaiting for state officials to formally serve him the deposition letter a contingent of police, military and security operatives stormed the palace.
Sanusi later accepted his dethronement as a divine act and urged his supporters to remain calm and avoid bloodshed.
He also urged them to declare bay’ah to his successor Aminu Ado Bayero, and stated “It is a thing of pride that made us to rule and end in the same fashion as the Khalifa,” in reference to his grandfather Muhammadu Sanusi I, who was also deposed and exiled in 1963.
Sanusi was later informed of his exile from Kano to Nasarawa State. Initially wanting to serve his exile in Lagos with his family, his request was denied and was later escorted out of the palace under heavy guard to a military air base.
His lawyers subsequently announced they are going to challenge his arbitrary exile in court. Sanusi was then flown to Abuja, en route to Loko in Nassarawa.
On 10 March, he was relocated from Loko via police helicopter to Awe, a remote local government area in the state.
On 13 March, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the release of Sanusi, he subsequently left Awe together with Governor Nasir El Rufai after leading Friday prayers in full regalia to Lagos.