Ex-kingmaker Asks Court To Dethrone Emir Of Zazzau

One of the former Zazzau Emirate Council kingmakers, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Aminu, who participated in the selection of the 19th Emir of Zazzau, has sued the Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and 13 others before the state High Court, seeking the removal of Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the Emir of Zazzau.

Among the 13 other respondents in the case which came up for mention at the Kaduna State High Court 4 yesterday were the incumbent Emir (Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli) and the late Limamin Kona, Malam Sani Aliyu who died in July 2021.

Bamalli who served as Nigeria Ambassador to Thailand was appointed the 19th Emir of Zazzau on Wednesday, 7th October, 2020 by Governor Nasir el-Rufai outside the recommendation made to him by the Zazzau Emirate Kingmakers.

Aminu, who held the position of Wazirin Zazzau, a title that qualified him as one of the kingmakers, asked the court to nullify the appointment of Bamalli and his removal as the Emir of Zazzau.

When the case came up for mention, the trial judge, Justice Isah Aliyu. adjourned the matter to 23rd February, 2023, to allow the plaintiff study and respond to the preliminary objections filed by some of the respondents.

After the court session, the counsel to the plaintiff, Rabiu Saidu said his client is challenging the qualification of Emir Bamalli and wants his appointment nullified and removed from office as Emir of Zazzau.

“Mainly, we are in court because we are challenging the appointment of Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the Emir of Zazzau. Because we believe that, as it were, the extant laws, the relevant tradition and customs were not followed in his appointment by the authorities,” he said.

On the inclusion of a deceased kingmaker among the respondents, Saidu said, “The inclusion of the late Limamin Kona in among the respondents is not really a problem, even though we are going to be taking the relevant steps to ensure his name is removed from the case. However, what is valid is that the office which is ‘Limamin Kona of Zazzau’ is not personal to the name. So, if there is someone who has occupied that office, that person’s name will be the one that would be substituted. The office is included because of the role or functions that might have had or have bearing to the reliefs we are seeking in the court.”

Counsel to the Zazzau Emirate Council, who is the 6th defendant, Aminu Usman Bamalli said the case was adjourned because counsel to the plaintiff did not provide a proper address of service to the respondents.