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Tag: Dethronement

  • Dethronement threats: I still have 67 more years to spend on throne, Oluwo tells king-makers

    Dethronement threats: I still have 67 more years to spend on throne, Oluwo tells king-makers

    The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, on Friday, boasted to residents of the community that he would spend 67 years more on the throne.

    The residents of the ancient town thronged to his palace on a solidarity walk opposing the petition dated September 9, 2020, by the twelve king-makers urging Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, to remove him from the throne over alleged misconduct.

    Speaking to his supporters in his palace, the Oba Akanbi said, “I have 67 more years to spend on the throne, I’m going to live for 120 years. Those who want me out, and want to become Oluwo should wait because this is my time.

    “With this crowd that engaged in solidarity walk, it is now obvious that I am in the good book of my people. That is why you are all standing in support of me.

    “Leaders must always strive for the development of their people. If I had not been good to you, my people, you would have stoned me today. In as much as I am being loved by my people, nobody can remove me from being the king.”

    The monarch begged the residents to forgive the king-makers, and urged them to be brave and strong, assuring them that the town will continue to witness good things during his reign.

    The representative of the princes of all the four ruling houses in Iwo, Prince Lekan Lamuye, said all the ruling houses are behind Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, and no chief can remove him as long as he enjoys the support of his subjects.

  • IGP asks court to dismiss deposed Sanusi’s suit

    IGP asks court to dismiss deposed Sanusi’s suit

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has requested the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit filed by the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, challenging his banishment.

     

    In his preliminary objection, the IGP argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the fundamental rights enforcement suit.

     

    The Kano State Government had on March 9, 2020 deposed Sanusi after which security agents moved him to Abuja.

     

    He was later banished to Awe, Nasarawa State, where he was detained in a private home until March 13 when he obtained an interim order of the court for his release from house arrest.

     

    Sanusi, through his lead counsel, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), contended that his banishment and subsequent house arrest violated his right to freedom of movement, among others.

     

    Challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the substantive suit, the IGP, however, contended that the rights violation complained of by Sanusi followed his dethronement which took place in Kano, which he argued ought to be the appropriate venue to file the suit and not Abuja.

     

    He stated, “The alleged infringement of the fundamental right of the applicant in this suit (Sanusi) is only ancillary to the dethronement of the applicant as the Emir of Kano, which is a matter within the jurisdiction of the High Court of a state.

     

    “It is crystal clear from all the processes filed by the applicant that the facts that gave rise to this case arose from Kano State, where the applicant was dethroned as the Emir and flown to Abuja enroute Nasarawa State.

     

    “It is our submission that coming into Abuja was only as a mere passage to their actual destination, which is Nasarawa State, and as such, Abuja cannot, by any stretch of reasoning, be said to be the place where the infringement occurred.”

     

  • Umahi orders arrest of monarchs, threatens dethronement

    The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, on Sunday, ordered the arrest of the traditional rulers of Umuogodoakpu-Ngbo and Ohankwu communities in the Ohaukwu and Ikwo local government areas of the state.

    The governor gave the order over the missing of a naval officer and the killing of a 70-year-old woman in both communities.

    Umahi also ordered the arrest of the coordinators of the Ohaukwu West and Ikwo East development centres, Stephen Ogenyi and Mr Ekuma Emmanuel, respectively, both in Ohaukwu and Ikwo LGAs over the two incidents.

    Umahi, who stated this during his Easter broadcast, equally suspended the technical assistants, senior technical assistants, executive assistants, laison officers, management committee members and other appointees from both communities.

    The naval officer got missing at Eguorie village while a 70-year-old woman was also allegedly killed by Ohankwu people of the Ikwo LGA of the state.

    According to Umahi, if by Tuesday the monarchs failed to provide information on the identities of perpetrators of the incidents that led to the missing of the naval officer and killing of the woman, they would be dethroned.

  • Peterside shuns CBN Roundtable over Emir Sanusi’s dethronement

    The founder of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc., Mr. Atedo Peterside, has turned down an invitation by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to participate in a consultative roundtable with the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, following the banishment of the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, from Kano emirate by the state government.

    Specifically, the investment and banking expert, who is currently out of the country and attended the Commonwealth Service that held in Westminster Abbey in London yesterday, linked his refusal to attend the roundtable partly to “the monumental events that took place yesterday (Monday) viz the removal of the Emir of Kano from office and the release of information that purportedly seeks to exile him and restrict his movements or confine them to a little known enclave in Nassarawa State.”

    In the letter to the CBN Governor titled “CBN Consultative Roundtable: A Conscientious Objection” Peterside said “I have decided to stay away from your Consultative Roundtable and to instead use the opportunity of this letter to draw the attention of a wider audience to my displeasure with the events of yesterday.

    Please forgive me because I am in no mood to immediately pretend as if all is well by proceeding with business as usual.”

    Peterside, however, offered to share his thoughts in the near future, promising that at an appropriate time he will send his “thoughts on how to quickly eliminate the policy inconsistencies that threaten the stability of our macroeconomy as CBN continues to seek to defy the odds by simultaneously pursuing a low domestic interest rate regime which clearly cannot coexist with high inflation and naira exchange rate stability in the face of collapsed/collapsing oil prices.

    During the service which he described as a colourful ceremony which featured speeches by a variety of personalities, including Anthony Joshua, the Nigerian-British heavyweight boxing champion, Mr Peterside recalled that Joshua and other speakers “reminded us eloquently about what can go right when we embrace the forces of modernity whilst recognising and upholding our proud cultural heritage.”

  • Sanusi’s dethronement, banishment, restriction illegal, Falana tackles Ganduje

    Sanusi’s dethronement, banishment, restriction illegal, Falana tackles Ganduje

    Human rights lawyer and advocate, Femi Falana, SAN on Tuesday said the decision of the Kano State Executive Council presided over by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to try, dethrone, banish and restrict the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on Monday without a fair hearing was illegal.

    Recall that the Kano State Government announced the dethronement of the embattled emir to the surprise of many. He (Sanusi) has since been replaced by Aminu Ado Bayero.

    Reacting to the developments, Falana in a statement said the fundamental rights of the former emir to personal liberty and freedom of movement guaranteed in the constitution has been violated by the state government.

    Read full statement below:

    SANUSI’S DETHRONEMENT, BANISHMENT, RESTRICTION OF MOVEMENT AND DETENTION ARE ILLEGAL

    Yesterday, the Kano state government held an executive council meeting presided over by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. At the said meeting the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was accused of having disrespected the Governor by not attending official meetings and displaying utter disdain for constituted authority.
    And without giving the Emir any opportunity to react to the allegations the executive council tried him, found him guilty and announced his removal from the throne. Apart from deposing the Emir without affording him the opportunity to defend himself Governor Ganduje was the accuser, the prosecutor, witness and judge at the inquisition which lasted for about 5 minutes. At the end of the inquisition the accused was convicted and sentenced to dethronement. As if the reckless violations of the Emir’s right to fair hearing were not sufficient Governor Ganduje proceeded to order the indefinite restriction of the deposed Emir’s movement and indefinite detention at Loko, Nasarawa State.

    Thus, the fundamental rights of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to personal liberty and freedom of movement guaranteed by sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and article 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 have also been violated. Since the Kano state government lacks the power to abrogate the fundamental rights of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi without following a procedure permitted by law his banishment and detention in Nasarawa State are illegal in every material particular.

    At the time the British colonial regime engaged in the dethronement, banishment, restriction of movement and detention of traditional rulers who opposed the looting of the resources of the colonial territory of Nigeria the fundamental rights of all colonial subjects were not recognised in spite of the much touted Magna Carta. Hence, some of the traditional rulers who were deposed and banished to remote islands abroad where they were killed. The Britain colonial regime got away with such atrocities because colonial powers at the material time operated outside the ambit of law and civilised standards. But under the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria no state government has the power to remove a traditional ruler and subject him to banishment and detention without following due process. Therefore, the Kano State Government should release Sanusi forthwith and allow him to contest his removal from the throne if he so desires.

     

  • Court dethrones traditional ruler in Adamawa, orders fresh appointment

    A Yola High Court presided by Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman on Friday voided the appointment of the District Head of Jalingo-Maiha, Yarima Wakili, by the State Government.

    The court ordered Gov. Muhammadu Bindow to approve Mahmud Abubakar, whose name was earlier forwarded to him for approval by Mubi Emirate Council as the selected traditional ruler.

    Recall that Mahmud Abubakar (Plaintiff) had earlier dragged the governor, Mubi Emirate Council, Yarima Wakili and Attorney General of the state as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, respectively, over the appointment of Wakili as the district head of Jalingo-Maiha in Maiha Local Government Area.

    In her Judgment, Justice Abdulrahman said the plaintiff has proven that he was eligible and was duly selected among other applicants for the district head stool by village heads in Maiha, who conducted the selection exercise under the supervision of representatives from Mubi Emirate Council.

    “That the approval of the 3rd defendant by the governor of Adamawa State as the district head of Jalingo-Maiha district, Maiha Local Government Area who was not the person recommended by the 2nd defendant is wrongful, illegal, null and void.

    “That the plaintiff whose name was forwarded to the Governor of Adamawa State for approval by the 2nd defendant, is the proper person to be approved for appointment as the district head of Jalingo-Maiha District.

    “It is hereby ordered that the Governor of Adamawa State (1st defendant) should approve the plaintiff as the proper person for appointment as District Head of Jalingo-Maiha District.

    “An order of perpetual injunction is hereby given, restraining the 3rd defendant from parading himself as district head of Jalingo-Maiha District, Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa State,” the court ruled.