Dethroned Kano Emir Muhammad Sanusi II has vowed to challenge his dethronement and banishment in court.
His lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), declared this in a briefing few minutes ago in Abuja.
He said the restriction of the Emir’s movement and his dethronement were unlawful and gross violation of his human rights.
Similarly, Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has vowed to launch a legal offensive to nullify the banishment of Sanusi II by the Governor of the State, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The Nigerian opposition coalition said it received the news of the illegal and arbitrary dethronement and purported banishment of Sanusi II by the All Progressives Congress, APC led Government of Umar Abdullahi Ganduje with shock.
CUPP, in a statement on Tuesday, signed by its National Spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, described the dethronement and banishment which it alleged had the tacit support of the APC led Federal Government, as barbaric, illegal, unconstitutional and a grave assault against constitutional democracy and the fundamental rights guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 43 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and a bold move to desecrate an ancient revered traditional institution.
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The political parties noted that the sacked Emir was not given the right to be heard, adding that this renders the action of the Kano State Executive Council illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional and null and void.
“The banishment is a barbaric and mundane assault on Emir Sanusi’s human rights as a Nigerian citizen provided under Sections 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 43 of the 1999 Constitution as amended,”
CUPP added.“His right to dignity of the human person, right to personal liberty, right to a fair hearing, right to freedom of thought and conscience, right to freedom of expression, right to peaceful assembly and association, right to freedom of movement and right to own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria were all flagrantly violated by the Kano State Government and cannot be condoned in a democracy. Such a nonsensical act of banishment is autocratic, dictatorial and in direct conflict with the constitution and must be resisted.”
According to CUPP, no Governor or President has the right to banish a Nigerian citizen or forcefully move him to any location in violation of the right of movement, right to life and a multitude of other rights except by an order of the court.
The parties said that as an opposition, they will not dabble into traditional issues but when Government actions tend to assault the laws of the land and intimidate citizens for speaking out, they must at all times rise to say no.
“The ancient ecclesiastical punishment of banishment and deportation cannot stand in a democracy. This much has been held by the Court of Appeal in the locus Classicus case of Government of Kebbi State vs. HRH Mustapha Jokolo(2013) LPER where the Appellate court condemned and declared that banishment and deportation of a deposed king is unconstitutional,” CUPP added.
