Ganduje signs new emirate bill into law

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has signed into law a bill creating four Emirates from the Kano Emirate.

The new law provides that 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 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 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 participation 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.

After signing the Bill into law, Governor Ganduje said, “we are going to have the Chairman of the five Kano Emirs, who would be reconvening meetings. And anybody who is absent among the five Emirs for five consecutive times risk been disposed.”

The ceremony, which was done at Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, now paved way for having five Emirates in the state, according to the Governor.

Ganduje observed that the previous law which, was challenged in the court was been sponsored by private hands, not his Government.

Governor said, it was out of respect, though not satisfied with that, the state decided to come to a term to the need for sponsoring another Bill by the Executive, “…just as we did now,” he stated.

“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,” he said.

He further explained that, “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.”

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 warns “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.”