Kano State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Haruna Isa Dederi, has insisted that the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on the lingering emirship tussle has not invalidated the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir.
Making this known,while speaking with press on Saturday, Barrister
Dederi stated that having passed a landmark verdict on January 10, 2025, reaffirming the power of the Kano State Government to reappoint Sanusi, it is impossible for the Court of Appeal to set aside or quash its own decision on the same matter.
It has become necessary to once again address you and the general public in respect of matters arising from the recent Court of Appeal ruling relating to the Kano Emirship tussle.he said
This has become necessary in order to correct the gross misrepresentations and speculative reports emanating from some quarters apparently intended to create disharmony amongst the citizens in Kano.
The respected Panel of Justices heard and granted the application for stay pending the hearing and determination of the subsisting Appeal before the Supreme Court. This is normal and usual routine application for the maintenance of status quo pending the determination of substantive appeal.
It is however, worrisome seeing the various captions and headlines deliberately intended to mislead the general public by misrepresentating the facts.
We hereby use this medium to call upon those involved in these negative and destructive misrepresentations to desist from interfering in judicial processes. The judiciary as a sacred institution must be jeleously respected and guarded for the preservation of peace and orderliness of society.
For the avoidance of any doubt, the court of Appeal that entertained the application of Alh. Aminu Babba Dan’agundi did not set aside the judgment the same court delivered on the 10th of January, 2025. That judgment is still valid and subsisting, until the determination of the appeal before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Once again, we call on the general public to resist any provocation and continue to be law abiding. The Kano State Government has already instructed its lawyers to closely study the outcome for the determination of the next line of action in accordance with our extant laws.
According to him,the ruling of the Appellate Court on the application for a stay of execution filed by Alh. Aminu Baba DanAgundi, one of the kingmakers loyal to the 15th Emir of Kano, Alh. Aminu Ado Bayero, pending the determination of the appeal at the Supreme Court.
Dederi, however said that the matter is functus officio, adding that only the Supreme Court has the power to set aside the decision of the Appeal Court handed down by Justice Mohammad Mustapha on January 10, 2025.
“The Appeal Court today, after hearing their application for a stay of execution, ruled that the status quo should rather be maintained as it is now until after the judgment of the Supreme Court. They have filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.
“It doesn’t mean that the judgment delivered on January 10, 2025, has been quashed. That judgment is still standing, still in place, and subsisting. The Court of Appeal cannot reverse its own decision. It is not possible. Only the Supreme Court has the power to set aside the judgment given by a lower court.
“So, the Court of Appeal, Abuja, has just said that execution of the judgment has been stayed pending the outcome of the appeal, which has been filed at the Supreme Court by Aminu Baba DanAgundi on behalf of Bayero,” Dederi noted.
Once again, we call on the general public to resist any provocation and continue to be law abiding. The Kano State Government has already instructed its lawyers to closely study the outcome for the determination of the next line of action in accordance with our extant laws.
We thank the entire people of the State for their understanding and constant prayers for the State and the nation in general.
