The Court of Appeal in Abuja has stopped the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.
A panel of three justices, led by Justice Okon Abang, issued the ruling on Friday, suspending the implementation of a previous judgment that had overturned his removal.
The decision stems from an earlier ruling on January 10, which declared that the nullification of Sanusi’s appointment lacked proper jurisdiction.
The appellate court, however, ruled in favour of applications seeking to pause the enforcement of that judgment until the Supreme Court reviews the case.
Justice Abang explained that the court must preserve the matter since Sanusi had served as emir for five years before his removal.
He also stated that the case, being a chieftaincy dispute, should have been handled by the Kano State High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
The dispute began when the Federal High Court in Kano nullified a law that reinstated Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The ruling favoured Aminu Baba-Dan’Agundi, who had filed a suit arguing against the reinstatement.
The court at the time ordered all parties to maintain the status quo during the reign of Emir Ado Bayero, News About Nigeria reports.
In its latest ruling, the appellate court referenced the Nigerian Constitution and the Federal High Court Act, concluding that the case should have been taken to the Kano State High Court or the FCT High Court.
It directed that the pending suit be transferred to the Kano High Court and assigned to a judge who had no prior involvement in the matter.
The court also imposed a fine of N500,000 on Baba-Dan’Agundi in favour of the Kano State House of Assembly.
However, after reviewing the matter, two other justices on the panel ruled that instead of transferring the case, it should be struck out entirely.
