KANO, NIGERIA – The Kano State House of Assembly has passed the Kano Emirates Council Law (Repeal Bill) 2024 after its third reading, effectively abolishing the establishment of five new emirates in the state.
The new law dismantles the offices created under the previously established emirates, and mandates that all district heads who were elevated or appointed under the repealed law revert to their previous positions.
Sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing Dala Constituency, Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa, the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Law, 2024, has nullified the creation of the new emirates, which was first enacted by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on December 5, 2019.
The law initially established five distinct emirates: Kano, Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye. Each emirate had jurisdiction over several local government areas, with Kano and Karaye governing eight local government areas each, Bichi and Gaya overseeing nine each, and Rano managing ten out of the 44 local councils in the state.
When Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, who chaired the council, was deposed on March 9, 2020, the law was amended to specify that the chairman of the council would be the emir of the Kano Emirate. Additionally, Section 12 of the law allowed the governor to grade the office of an emir as first, second, or third class, subject to the approval of the House of Assembly.
A principal officer of the assembly, speaking anonymously, asserted the assembly’s determination in passing the repeal bill, stating that “no Jupiter can stop the assembly from amending the law.”
The repeal marks a significant shift in the administrative structure of the Kano State emirates, restoring the previous hierarchical order and reducing the number of emirates back to one.