Kano Assembly passes Emirate Councils amendment bill

The Kano State House of Assembly has passed the Emirate Councils Amendment Bill 2020.

The House, presided over by the Speaker, Abdulazeez Gafasa, adopted the amendment during plenary on Tuesday in Kano.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that in 2019, the House approved the creation of four additional Emirate Councils, bringing the number of First Class Emirs in the state to five.

The new Councils are: Gaya; Karaye, Rano, Bichi and the existing Kano Emirate Council.

Majority Leader of the House, Kabiru Dashi, said the amendment made provisions for the Emir of Kano to serve as the Chairman of the Council of Chiefs, thus putting the issue of rotation to an end.

Dashi said: “In the new law, the number of kingmakers have also increased from four to five members to allow for free and fair election of a new emir whenever there is vacancy.

“We have four kingmakers in each of the Emirate Councils.

“In the case of death or removal, we are trying to avoid a situation where two will support and two will reject.

“By increasing the number to five, it must be free and fair, while electing an emir.

“And also, the new law will provide a three-day deadline for the election of a new emir.”

Dashi added that the amended law had also changed the title of the Council of Chiefs to be referred as the Council of Emirs.

The lawmakers after considering the amendment at the Committee of the Whole, adopted the amendment to the bill.

The House also approved the appointment of Dr. Garba Shehu as the Executive Secretary, Kano State Education Development Support Fund.