Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has signed the new Kano Emirate Council Bill into law.

The bill for the creation of four emirates councils transmitted by the Governor scaled from through the third reading and finally passed at the assembly and forwarded to the governor on Thursday.

The new Kano State Emirate Council Bill 2019 had passed first reading and second reading on Monday and Tuesday after the speaker, Abdl’uazeez Garba Gafasa presented the letter transmitted by Governor Ganduje.

In a unanimous acceptance, the legislators consented to the passage of the bill shortly after the lawmakers reconvened. Before the bill was passed, the lawmakers had dissolved into the secretary meeting for 20 minutes.

Signing the bill into law at the Correlation Hall, Government House, Governor Ganduje said the new law will bring development closer to the people, sustainable socio-economic development and improve the security and well being of people.

In the new laws, sanctions including deposition will be attached for any erring Emir or any traditional ruler who refuses to attend the Council of Emirs meetings three times without any concrete and convincing reason.

According to Ganduje, “As a law-abiding administration, we came and deliberated upon that at the State Executive Council. after which we sent the Bill to the State House of Assembly, seeking for the creation of 4 additional Emirates, namely Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye.

“After successfully passing the Bill by the House, here we are, as you are all witnessing the singing of the Bill into a Law. And our Emirates have come to stay because all things concerning the new Emirates were done”. Ganduje noted.

According to the dictate of the new Law, “there will be individual Emirate Council in all the now 5 Emirates. And membership of the Councils is drawn from the Emir, who heads the Council of his own domain, Imam from the Emirate, representative of the business community, and other identified group of people from there.

“At the state level, there is going to be a Central Council of Emirs, that will consist of all the five Emirs in the state as well as representatives of other identified groups of people. The new system is more of injecting some semblance of people participating in their socio-economic development through the traditional institutions.

“While the Chairman of the Central Council of Emirs will be appointed by the governor, who will chair the Council for two years, it is again the prerogative of the Governor to make sure that the Chairmanship goes round all the 5 Emirates.

Sanctions are also attached for any erring Emir or any traditional ruler. If an Emir does not attend the Council of Emirs meetings three times without any concrete and convincing reason, such an Emir’s Turban would be removed, but with the consultation of other Emirs, by the Governor.

Another action that attracts sanction from the provision of the new law, is that, if an Emir disrespects the norms and values of his people, where such an Emir’s action goes against the culture and tradition of his people, he would face the music.

Ganduje, however, warns that “Any Emir or any traditional ruler who goes against the provision of this Law, such a person will definitely face the music. He will surely be punished without any wasting of time.”

He, therefore, called on all those District Heads who refuse to pay homage to their Emirs to dress up, warning that “If you refuse to pay homage because you then prepare for being dethroned.”

The fresh bill was approved by Kano state executive council and transmitted for the lawmakers following the nullification of Kano Emirs Appointment and Depositions Amendment Laws 2019 by Justice Usman Na’Allah of Kano high court.

Meanwhile, the security men attached to the Kano state House of Assembly had threatened to shoot some journalists who were at the assembly to cover the house proceedings.

The security personnel including men of the Police and Civil Security and Defense Corps had prevented the journalists access to the assembly to carry out their official duties.

It took the intervention of director of press at the assembly who prevailed on the overzealous security operatives to restore calm. (The Guardian)

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