The Court of Appeal which sat on Friday in Abuja stopped the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, citing the lack of jurisdiction by Kano State High Court to entertain the matter.

A three-member panel of justices led by Justice Okon Abang unanimously averred that the decision by the Kano State High Court cannot be implemented as the question of jurisdiction was fundamental to a case before any Court of law.
The judgement, which was delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, held that the nullification of Sanusi II’s appointment was done without the required jurisdiction and ordered the transfer of the suit to the Kano State High Court.

However, ruling on the fresh applications with numbers CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025, the appellate court agreed that the applications seeking to halt the enforcement of the earlier judgement pending the appeal before the Supreme Court were competent and meritorious.

“The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice,” he said.

Justice Abang also noted that the subject matter before the court needed to be preserved because the applicant had served as emir for five years before his removal, adding that he deserved the right to protection.
On January 10, Justice Kolawole, in vacating the order against Sanusi II’s appointment, held that the matter, being a chieftaincy dispute, ought to have been determined by the high court of Kano State rather than the Federal High Court, which he described as “a grave error”.

The Federal High Court in Kano, presided by Justice Abubakar Liman, had on June 20, 2024, nullified the Kano State Government’s Kano Emirates Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which reinstated Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir.

In the fundamental rights enforcement suit by Aminu Baba-Dan’Agundi, the presiding judge further directed parties, including the Kano State House of Assembly, to maintain the status quo during the reign of Emir Ado Bayero.

However, the appellate court in its ruling, cited Section 251 of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act to hold that the matter was a chieftaincy and state legislative dispute and not a fundamental rights matter, and such ought to have been taken before the Kano State High Court or the FCT High Court.

“The proper order to make is to order the 1st respondent (Baba-Dan’Agundi) to transfer the pending suit before the Federal High Court to the high court of Kano State where the chief judge shall assign it to a judge who has not been previously involved in the hearing of the suit,” he said.

The judge awarded the cost of N500,000 against Dan’Agundi and in favour of the Kano State House of Assembly.
However, following the opinions of the presiding justice, Justice Mohammed Mustapha and Justice Abdul Dogo that the right order was to strike out Dan’Agundi’s suit filed at the Federal High Court and not to transfer same, the matter was struck out.

The five appeals — CA/KN/126/2024 between the state assembly and Dan’Agundi; CA/ABJ/140/2023 state assembly and Dan’Agundi; CA/ABJ/142/2024 Kano State Government and Dan’Agundi; CA/KN/200/2024 Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and Attorney General of Kano State; and CA/KN/161/2020 Kano Government and Dan’Agundi emanated from the same issue before the Federal High Court.

CAPITAL POST reports that immediately the report of the Court of Appeal filtered in, tension began to build up around some areas in Kano through Emirate councils in some Local Government Areas.

The Police authority was yet to issue a word of caution at the time of the report, but fierce looking officers could be seen deployed to strategic areas in Kano in case of the breaking down of law and order.

The Chairman of Nigeria Institute of Building (NIOB) Lagos State Chapter, Builder Thomas Adeoye, makes a passionate appeal to the federal government to enact the building code into law. This move, he believes, will bring about much-needed uniformity in building practices across the country, ultimately reducing the risk of building collapse and promoting public safety.

The appeal was made during the commemoration of the 8th Builders’ Day, held in collaboration with the Chairman of Ejigbo LCDA.

The 8th builders day celebration with the theme “Builders’ Role in Effective Building Control and Regulatory Compliance for Sustainable Construction,” Is aimed to raise awareness about the importance of safe building practices and reducing building collapse in the country.

Builder Thomas Adeoye commended the Lagos State Government for establishing the Certified Accreditors Program (CAP) while emphasizing the need for a collaborative effort to address the issue of building collapse.

He cited ignorance among suppliers of building materials, constructors, and professionals as a significant contributor to the problem.

” A lot of people out of ignorance dont really understand what is happening and it starts from everywhere, from the people that sells buildings materials, to the people that construct and the professionals, that’s the reason why we picked a marketplace because we need to enlighten the traders because building materials is part of what we use in construction. we’ve come to enlighten then on engaging the suppliers of building materials instead of buying inferior product ” He said

The event featured dignitaries from the institute, including Past Chairman Builder Sunday Wusu and Builder Salisu Harfiz while the Chairman of Ejigbo LCDA was represented by the council manager.

NIOB Public Relations Officer, Akingbade Adebola Israel, states that the Lagos State government is training professionals from different jurisdictions to monitor building and infrastructure across the state.

” Today’s is builders day and we are using this to mark what happened in Lagos Island about four years ago where school children died in a building collapse. Anyone can be a victim of building collapse because you’re not part of the construction, but when you’re renting a place you don’t know how it’s been built and we want to stop that” He said

The 8th Builders’ Day celebration serves as a call to action for stakeholders in the building industry to prioritize safe and sustainable building practices, ensuring the protection of lives and property.

The Chairman of the Interparliamentary Committee in the 10th Senate, Jimoh Ibrahim said he didn’t authorize Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District to petition the Interparliamentary Union over her suspension.

JImoh Ibrahim who represents Ondo South Senatorial District declared that the petition submitted to the IPU by Natasha is dead on arrival, saying she is not a member of the Interparliamentary Union to have rights to lodge a petition in a manner she did.

JImoh said Natasha’s decision to approach IPU and lodging a petition on her plight was not in pattern of IPU, stressing that he was an interim President of IPU in 2023 which he presided over proceedings and was conversant with the workings of the body.

According to a statement he made available to CAPITAL POST in Abuja on Friday, the Ondo Federal lawmaker hinted that it’s Nigeria that is a member of the IPU and not an individual person, highlighting that “a petition can only be filed against a State by another member State.”

The lawmaker said: “the purported petition from the suspended Senator Natasha is “dead on arrival.”

“Nigeria, rather than Senator Natasha, is the member of the IPU. A petition can only be lodged against another member state by a member state. This implies that the IPU cannot consider petitions from individuals who are not members.

“The suspended Senator Natasha is not a member of the IPU, but Nigeria is!

Additionally, the suspended Senator cannot represent the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I served as the interim President of the IPU in Geneva in 2023, and I am familiar with how the IPU operates after presiding over its proceedings.

“As Chairman of the Interparliamentary Committee in the Nigerian Senate, I did not approve or authorise the suspended Senator Natasha to attend the IPU on behalf of Nigeria to the Senate President.”

It is recalled that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for six months over alleged breach of Senate Rules and Order and in the aftermath approached IPU and petitioned the Senator Godswill Akpabio-led Senate.

She has also alleged sexual harassment by the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio which he has denied.