There was pandemonium at the Kano State House of Assembly on Monday over the lingering crisis between the state government and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi ll.
Trouble started few minutes when the Chairman, House Standing Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions, Alhaji Hamza Ibrahim Ci-Dari, raised an observation regarding the the two petitions against the emir.
The House received two petitions against the Emir last week.
Immediately the chairman raised the issue, he was shut down by some members of the House, particularly members of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who insisted that it is against the rule of the House to raise an observation during plenary on a petition that is before a committee, which has not submitted its report.
Members of the APC and PDP engaged in a free-for-all fight with the aim of taking over the control of the Mace, the symbol of authority of the parliament.
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It took the intervention of the Sergeant at Arms and security operatives to rescue the mace from the lawmakers.
The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Abdulaziz Garba Gafasa announced the postponement of the session for 30 minutes.
Daily Trust observed presence of heavily armed security operatives at the assembly complex, government house and Emir’s palace.
The governor of the state has been at loggerhead with Emir Sanusi and many see the fresh probe as a continuation of the initial crisis that led to the creation of additional four new emirates in the state.
This is not the first time the emir and the Kano Emirate are coming under probe since Malam Muhammadu Sanusi ll, ascended the throne in 2014.
The Kano anti-graft agency investigated the emir over what it called “questionable” expenditure to the tune of N 4 billion but the probe was later suspended.
It could be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Kano had last month quashed the report of the commission that indicted the Emir over an allegation of N3.4 billion fraud from the Emirate Council fund.
Last Friday, another Federal High Court in Kano restrained Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission from investigating the emir over alleged land racketeering to the tune of N2. 2bn.
The presiding judge, Justice Lewis Allagoa ordered the commission and its Chairman, Barrister Rimingado to maintain the status quo in the interim pending the determination of the case filed before it by the emir.
The order, dated March 6, 202 and signed by Justice Allagoa, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Trust reads in parts: “The status quo be maintained in the interim pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion”.
Justice Allagoa then adjourned the case till March 18, 2020 for hearing.
The emir in his prayers, requested for an interim injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd respondents (Commission and its Chairman) from investigating the affairs of the applicant pending the hearing of the originating motion.
An order of interim injunction for the maintenance of the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.
Contacted, Barrister Rimingado said the commission would honour the court by appearing before it on March 18, 2020.
“The commission will ask the court of law to compel the emir to appear before it. Because as far as the commission is concerned, the court did not stop it from continuing with its investigation. The status quo is subject to interpretation,” he said
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