The Kano State House of Assembly has repealed the Kano Emirates Council Law 2019, which had established the Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano Emirates from the then-existing Kano Emirate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lawmakers repealed the Emirates Law during a special plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Jibril Falgore, on Thursday.
Falgore invoked Order Seven, Rule 3 (A) of the House, directing the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Bashir Diso, to conduct the third reading of the bill to repeal the Law.
Deputy Speaker Muhammad Butu-Butu argued that repealing the law would restore the lost glory of Kano, stating, “The division of Kano Emirate into five Emirates damaged the capacity and dignity of the Emirate and the state.”
Majority Leader Lawan Hussaini added, “The Emirate Council was a custodian of the culture of the Kano people, which was distorted by the creation of the additional Emirates.”
Dala noted that with the law’s repeal, all five Emirate Councils would be abolished, and the Commissioner for Local Government would oversee the activities of the dissolved Emirate. He emphasized that the decision was timely and should be communicated to Governor Abba Yusuf for assent.
However, opposition members, led by Minority Whip Alhaji Ayuba Labaran (Kabo-APC), opposed the move and staged a walkout from the chamber. Labaran stated, “The move was for ‘selfish interest,’” and added that the previous administration created the Emirates to foster unity and development.
NAN reports that the original law, which created the five new emirates, was first assented to by ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on December 5, 2019. Ganduje further amended the law on October 14, 2020, and again on April 11, 2023. Section 3(1) of the law had established five distinct emirates—Kano, Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye—each with specific local government areas of jurisdiction.