The Court of Appeal in Abuja has directed all parties involved in the ongoing Kano Emirship dispute to exercise caution as their appeals are set to be heard at the Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, the court stayed actions that had previously validated the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The appellate court upheld the Kano State Government’s withdrawal of its application after transmitting the record of appeal to the Supreme Court. This step came following the state’s reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II under the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which also sanctioned the removal of Aminu Ado Bayero as the 15th Emir and dismissed the appointments of four first-class emirs by former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
On March 14, 2025, Justice Okon Abang issued a ruling to stay the execution of the earlier judgment that had validated Sanusi’s reinstatement. He further directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum—that is, to keep the situation unchanged from before the trial court’s decision on June 13, 2024.
While respondents criticized Justice Abang’s ruling as a misinterpretation of constitutional provisions—citing that an appeal had already been filed at the apex court—counsel for the appellant, Abdul Fagge (SAN), maintained that the respondents acted in line with constitutional requirements.
During a resumed hearing, Kano State Government counsel Ibrahim Wangida confirmed that a notice of appeal had been filed against the March 14 stay order, with all necessary legal steps completed, including the transmission of the record to the Supreme Court. Based on established judicial precedent, this transmission automatically enforces a stay on any actions stemming from the Court of Appeal’s ruling.
The decision now effectively returns the case to the Supreme Court, where the involved parties must await further direction on the merits of their appeals. All stakeholders have been advised to exercise caution until the Supreme Court hears the matter, reflecting the delicate nature of the dispute and its potential implications for the Kano Emirship.
