The leader of Sanusi’s legal team, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud,  has said Kano State Emirate Council Law which was recently enacted by the Government does not give the State Executive Council or the Governor of Kano State the powers to unilaterally remove the emir.

He said this while briefing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja while the emir was being moved from Loko Development Area of Nasarawa State to Awe Local Government Area.

This comes barely 24 hours after the Kano State Government removed Sanusi as Emir of Kano.

According to him, “The reason given in the letter of deposition of the Emir dated 9th March, 2020, was alleged ‘disrespect to lawful instructions from the authorities’. The Emir was also alleged to have ‘refused to attend official programmes and meetings organised by the Government”.

Mahmoud further explained that Muhammadu Sanusi II was the Chairman of the Council and if such meeting was summoned, he would have been aware and would have informed them there and then.  “In our view, the action was patently illegal and unconstitutional and a clear abuse of power”.

As far as we are aware, there has not been any notice of such disrespect ever given to the Emir or query issued to him for refusal to attend official functions.

“He was never given any opportunity to defend himself against those charges. Section 13 of the Kano Emirates Council Law 2019 cited in the letter of deposition empowers the Governor to depose an Emir only after due inquiry and in consultation with State Council of Chiefs.

“As a legal team, we are not aware of such due inquiry nor are we aware that the Kano State Council of Chiefs was at any time summoned to any meeting much less discuss the removal of the Emir or gave any  advise to the Governor on the deposition,” Mahmoud said.