In a dramatic midnight move, Muhammadu Sanusi II, reinstated as the Emir of Kano, took control of the historic Kano Emir’s Palace early Saturday.
The transition occurred shortly after Sanusi received his appointment letter from Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, marking the dissolution of the five emirate councils and the restoration of the Kano Emirate to its pre-2019 structure.
Emir Sanusi II entered the palace around 1:30 AM, accompanied by the state’s deputy governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, and other government officials. This preemptive move was reportedly made to thwart any attempt by the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero to reclaim the palace.
The deposed Bayero had been out of town when the Kano State House of Assembly and the state government were deciding his fate. Initially appointed the Emir of Bichi in 2019 and later the 15th Emir of Kano, Bayero had held the position since Sanusi’s controversial removal by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in 2020.
Governor Yusuf’s recent actions, including signing a new Kano Emirate Council Bill into law, effectively reversed Ganduje’s decisions, reinstating Sanusi II as the sole Emir of Kano. The governor issued a 48-hour notice to Bayero and four other deposed emirs to vacate their palaces and hand over emirate properties to the deputy governor’s office.
Although Bayero has not publicly commented on Sanusi’s reinstatement, he returned to Kano early Saturday morning. His arrival at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) around 4:32 AM was met by a crowd of supporters.
Dressed in his royal regalia, Bayero did not address the crowd but was seen observing the Subhi (dawn) prayer at the airport before departing to an undisclosed location in the city.
Emir Sanusi II’s unceremonious entrance into the palace underscored the tense atmosphere surrounding the Kano Emirate’s leadership.
His return to power highlighted the ongoing power struggle that has captured national attention. This move by Governor Yusuf reflects a broader trend of significant political shifts within Kano’s traditional institutions.