Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has introduced fresh uncertainty into the long-running Kano emirship crisis, raising questions over whether the political realignment could pave the way for a resolution or further complicate an already fragile situation.
For nearly two years, Kano State has been locked in an unprecedented royal impasse, with two emirs simultaneously laying claim to the revered Kano stool.
Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II currently holds court at the historic Gidan Rumfa Palace, while the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, continues to operate from the Nassarawa mini-palace. Both figures enjoy the backing of rival political and institutional forces, deepening divisions within the state.
The crisis traces its roots to March 2020, when former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje dethroned Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, citing alleged insubordination, and installed Aminu Ado Bayero as his successor.
While the government justified the action on administrative grounds, critics linked Sanusi’s removal to political differences, particularly his perceived closeness to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
In May 2024, the political pendulum swung again. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)-led administration of Governor Yusuf repealed the 2019 Kano Emirate Law, abolished the five emirates created under it, and reinstated Sanusi as Emir of Kano, effectively restoring a single-emir structure.
The move, however, reignited legal battles, with Bayero challenging his removal in court.
Governor Yusuf’s defection to the APC has now reshaped the political landscape surrounding the crisis. By joining the ruling party, Yusuf is politically aligned with Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, figures widely perceived as supporters of Emir Bayero.
The move also marked a clear break from Senator Kwankwaso, Yusuf’s political benefactor, under whose influence Sanusi was believed to have secured his reinstatement.
The realignment has fueled speculation that the emirship dispute could be revisited as part of broader reconciliation efforts within the APC.
These speculations gained momentum following comments by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, who suggested that the crisis could soon be resolved through dialogue.
“Now we will sit down and resolve such problems calmly. These issues will no longer be difficult. There will be discussions; where apologies are needed, they will be offered, and where forgiveness is required, it will be granted. In some cases, someone may be asked to make sacrifices for the sake of peace,” Waiya said during a radio programme.
His remarks were widely interpreted as an indication that political negotiations, rather than prolonged litigation, might be explored as a pathway to peace.
Amid growing speculation, Governor Yusuf moved swiftly to clarify his position. Speaking through his spokesman, Sanusi Bature, the governor dismissed claims that Emir Sanusi’s position was under threat.
“There is no plan to replace Emir Sanusi on the throne of Kano. The appointment of the emir was done after the emirates law had been repealed, and there is no plan at the executive level for any further amendment,” Yusuf stated.
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“Emir Sanusi remains the Emir of Kano. This defection to the APC will not change the status quo.”
Despite these assurances, the camp of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero has firmly rejected any talk of a negotiated settlement. Sarkin Dawakin Babba, Aminu Babban Dan Agundi, who initiated the legal action against the Kano State Government, insisted that the matter remains strictly within the purview of the courts.
“There is no negotiation that can lead to the removal of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. The matter is before the courts, and no one has the authority to give judgment except the court. Everyone should wait for the Supreme Court’s decision,” he said.
Legal experts, however, argue that a settlement is not legally foreclosed despite the case being in court. Barrister Umar Usman Dan Baito, a lecturer at Northwest University, Kano, noted that Nigerian law allows for settlement at any stage of litigation.
“Even if a case is before the Supreme Court, parties can still reach a settlement through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Once the court adopts the agreement, the case comes to an end,” he explained.
While Governor Yusuf’s defection to the APC could, in theory, create a platform for political consensus, it has also heightened suspicion and hardened positions among rival camps.
With final court judgments still pending and political interests continuing to intersect with traditional authority, the Kano emirship crisis remains delicately balanced.
Whether the governor’s political shift will unlock a lasting resolution or further entangle the dispute now hinges on how political dialogue, legal processes, and traditional reconciliation efforts are managed in the coming weeks.
