The Court of Appeal in Sokoto on Thursday upheld the decision of the Kebbi High Court which reinstated the deposed Emir of Gwandu, Mustapha Jokolo. The appellate court also ordered that all his salaries and entitlements for the 10 years that he was not on the throne be paid to him. The incumbent Emir of Gwandu, Muhammad Bashar, had appealed against the judgment of the lower court, which reinstated Jokolo.
In a unanimous judgment, the three judges of the court led by Tunde Awotoye, held that the deposition of Mr. Jokolo by the then governor contravened Sections 6 and 7 of the Chiefs Appointment and Deposition Law of the state. “It was because the governor neither made an inquiry into the allegation against the emir nor consulted the state’s Council of Chiefs before arriving at his decision.
“The former governor’s action had contradicted Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “The deposed emir was not given a fair hearing before he was dethroned and as such the decision was null and void,’’ the court held. The judge ordered the reinstatement of Mr. Jokolo and the payment of his 10 years salaries and entitlements. In his reaction, Counsel to the appellant, Hassan Zakariya, said they were not satisfied with the judgment. Mr. Zakariya said they would study the judgment and advise their client on the next step. But Jokolo’s Counsel, Ahmadu Zumaru, commended the court, and described the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.
(NAN)
