Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who was deposed as the Emir of Kano four years ago, has been reinstated to the throne by Governor Abba Yusuf.

Governor Yusuf officially announced the reappointment of Emir Sanusi shortly after signing the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill 2024 into law at the Ante-chamber of the Government House.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Ismaila Falgore, and other principal officers of the House.

Speaking after the signing, Governor Yusuf described the event as historic and expressed gratitude to the State Assembly for fulfilling their constitutional duties. “The Kano State Emirate law 2019 that divided the over 1000 years Kano Emirate into five has been repealed,” he said.

Governor Yusuf also instructed the five Emirs appointed by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to vacate their official residences and return their instruments of power to the Commissioner of Local Government Affairs, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, who also serves as the state’s Deputy Governor.

Earlier on Thursday, the Kano State House of Assembly passed the Kano Emirates Council Bill 2024, which abolished the five emirates created by Ganduje. Ganduje had previously divided the Kano Emirate into Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, Rano, and Kano Emirates, and had deposed Emir Sanusi on March 9, 2020.

The new law dissolves all offices created under the repealed law, and district heads appointed or elevated under the previous legislation are to revert to their former positions.

The bill was sponsored by Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa, the Majority Leader and representative of the Dala Constituency.

The original law, enacted under Ganduje on December 5, 2019, had been amended twice and had established five distinct emirates with jurisdiction over the state’s 44 local government areas. The new amendment reverts to a single emirate system, reinstating Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.

The reinstatement has caused tension in the ancient commercial city of Kano. Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara congratulated Muhammad Sanusi II on his reinstatement.

“I wish the 14th Emir of Kano a successful and fruitful reign that will bring progress and prosperity to the people of the state,” Fubara said in a statement.

Governor Fubara also urged the Emir to lead the over 50 million adherents of the Tijanniyah Sufi order in Nigeria with love, wisdom, and courage, while bringing lasting peace, justice, equity, and fairness to all in Kano.

The Kano State House of Assembly had repealed the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law earlier on Thursday, but Governor Abba Yusuf is yet to sign the repealed law.