Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has appointed the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, as the Chairman of the State Council of Chiefs.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abba Anwar, announced this in a statement on Monday.

This comes against the back drop of the creation of four additional emirates in the state – Bichi, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya – to decentralise the powers of the Kano Emirate.

In the statement, Anwar explained that the governor appointed Sanusi and others to lead the affairs of the Council in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

“By the powers conferred on the Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, by Sections 4 (2) (g) and Section 5((1) (2) of the Kano State Emirate Councils Law 2019, he makes the following appointments; that His Highness, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, Emir of Kano Emirate, as Chairman Kano State Council of Chiefs.

“Among other members of the State Council of Chiefs are all other four first-class Emirs of Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Alhaji Dr Tafida Abubakar (Autan Bawo), Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Abubakar II, and Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir, who are also automatic members of the Council, as enshrined in the State Emirate Council Law,” the governor’s aide said.

He added that Section 4(2) gave other members as Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner for Local Governments, five Chairmen of Local Government Councils – one each from the Local Government Council where the Emir’s palace is situated.

“Others according to this Section comprise at least 10 kingmakers, two each from the five emirates mentioned under Section 3(1) of the Law, Chief Imam of each Emirate.

“Other members include a representative of the business community from each emirate to be appointed by the governor, as the names of Alhaji Dalhat Al-Hamsad and Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano are appointed by the governor, as two of them,” he disclosed.

According to Anwar, the law also stipulates as members of the Council of Chiefs, a representative of security agencies, the police, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

“Section 5(1), (2) of the Law provides that, the Chairmanship of the State Council of Chiefs shall be rotational among the five Emirs of the Emirates and the sequence of which is to be determined by the governor and the Chairman shall serve for a period of two years only.

“The appointment is with effect from Monday, the 9th Day of December 2019. It is also directed that the Chairman shall immediately summon the inaugural meeting of the Council in accordance with the provisions of the Law,” Ganduje’s aide added.

The governor, therefore, urged all the Council members to utilise the opportunity to serve the people in the state.

He also asked them to strengthen the emirates and the traditional system of administration in the Kano in advising the state government, more particularly on security matters.