The Kano State House of Assembly passed the proposed Kano State Emirate Council Law 2024 on Thursday, May 23, effectively dethroning Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano and reinstating former CBN governor Lamido Sanusi.
This move marks a significant shift in the traditional leadership of Kano State.
The newly passed law acknowledges Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano, with his portrait already displayed prominently in the Coronation Hall of the Government House in Kano, replacing that of Aminu Bayero.
The prelude to Sanusi’s reinstallation involved amending the Kano State Emirates Council Law 2024 (1441 A.H). The bill successfully passed its third reading in the House of Assembly on Thursday. According to the amended law:
> “All traditional office holders and title holders elevated or appointed to an office created under the repealed Principal law, dated 5th December 2019 shall revert to their position where such positions previously existed under recognised custom and traditions prior to the enactment of the repealed Principal Law dated 5th December 2019.”
The law further states:
> “The Commissioner responsible for Local Government shall oversee all transitional arrangements including how best to deal with assets and liabilities of the abolished emirates and new structure created under the repealed Principal Law dated 5th December 2019.”
Additionally, the new law mandates the governor to take all necessary measures to restore the status of the Kano Emirate System to its state before the 2019 law’s enactment. Governor Abba Yusuf is expected to give his assent to the amendment on Thursday before making formal announcements.
Reports indicate that Aminu Bayero left the palace and Kano on Wednesday, May 22, heading first to Ijebu and then to Ilorin.
Lamido Sanusi, who was initially installed as emir during the tenure of then-Governor Kwankwaso, was dethroned on March 9, 2020, by outgoing Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. Sanusi was subsequently banished to Loko, a remote community in Nasarawa State, where his administration’s expenses were scrutinized. Ganduje’s administration had also created four additional emirates—Bichi, Karaye, Rano, and Gaya—elevating them to first-class status alongside Kano.
However, the current state Assembly’s decision on Thursday abolished these new emirates, consolidating power back to the singular Kano Emirate.
As of the time of filing this report, Governor Abba Yusuf has not yet made an official announcement regarding these changes.
