Bashir Aminu, the Iyan Zazzau, has dragged Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to the Kaduna State High Court in Zaria over the Emirship stool in the state.
Others are Secretary to the State Government, Balarabe Lawal; Jafaru Sani, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs; the Attorney General and Zazzau Emirate Council.
The rest are Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli and the kingmakers – Ibrahim Aminu (Waziri Zazzau), Umar Muhammad (Fagacin Zazzau), Muhammad Abbas (Makama Ƙarami), Dalhatu Ƙasimu (Limamin Juma’a) and Muhammad Aliyu (Limamin Kona).
El-Rufai had appointed Bamalli, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Thailand, as the new Emir of Zazzau.
Aminu is seeking an order of interim injunction restraining defendants/respondents, especially El-Rufai (the 1st defendant), whether by himself or appointees, from installing Bamalli (the 11th defendant) as the Emir.
He also wants an order restraining Bamalli from presenting for installation or parading himself as the Emir pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
Hearing of the motion has been fixed for October 27, 2020.
Aminu is protesting Bamalli’s appointment although he was not on the shortlist for the position.
The kingmakers had screened eleven princes from four dynasties but Bamalli was among the eight dropped.
Aside Aminu, the applicant, others who made the top 3 are Aminu Shehu Idris (Turakin Zazzau) and Muhammadu Munir Ja’afaru (Yariman Zazzau).
There were expectations of the legal action after El-Rufai, repeatedly accused of “delayed tactics”, annulled the voting exercise.
Hours after the announcement of Bamalli as the new Emir, an emirate official, Aminu Yakubu-Wambai, resigned his traditional title.
Wambai was the Wakilin Raya Kasar Zazzau, a position he held for 19 years.
He was a permanent council member representing Kaduna South Local Government Area.
