Zazzau prince wants court to remove Bamalli as emir

Appointment of Bamalli as emir “unilateral and unlawful”, Aminu claims in suit

One of the top contenders for the stool of Zazzau emirate, Bashar Aminu, has asked a Kaduna state High Court to remove the newly appointed emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamali as the 19th emir and declare him as the rightful emir of Zazzau.

In a suit filed in a Kaduna High Court, Aminu, who is also the Iyan Zazzau, said the appointment of Bamalli as emir by the Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai was “unilateral, unlawful.”

How Bamalli emerged emir of Zazzau

It was “irregular, illegal unconstitutional, unjust to inequitable and contrary to good conscience, null and void and of no effect whatsoever,” he claimed in the suit.

The suit has El-Rufai, the Attorney-General of Kaduna state, Kaduna state Council of Chiefs, Zazzau emirate council, the Wazirin Zazzau, Fagachin Zazzau, the Makama Karamin Zazzau, Limamin Juma’an Zazzau, Limamin Konan Zazzau, and the newly appointed emir of Zazzau listed as defendants.

Aminu also wants the court to declare him the duly selected emir of Zazzau based on the selection by the kingmakers which took place on the 24th of September 2020.

“The plaintiff having been selected/elected as the emir of Zazzau by the traditional kingmakers at the selection on 24th September, 2020 is entitled under section 3 of the Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) law Kaduna state 1991 to be appointed by Governor of Kaduna state as the emir of Zazzau,” the suit reads

“Having scored the highest number of lawful votes cast by the kingmakers and thus selected by the said kingmakers, the plaintiff has thus acquired, vested right to the stool of the emir of Zazzau from the date of his selection henceforth.”

The Iyan Zazzau is also seeking a declaration that the plaintiff is still the emir of Zazzau and is entitled to all rights and privileges pertaining thereto and therefore seeking an order setting aside the “purported appointment of the 10th Defendant (Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli) as the emir of Zazzau.”

It is also seeking an injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants from acting in the installation of the 10th defendant to the throne of the emir of Zazzau and or presenting the 10th defendant with the staff of office until the final determination of the suit.

Daily Trust reports that Iyan Zazzau was among the top three who made the fist list in the selection process by the kingmakers on September 24.

Iyan Zazzau, Alhaji Bashar Aminu from the Katsinawa dynasty had scored the highest.

He was followed by the Yariman Zazzau, Alhaji Muhammed Munnir Jafaru from Bare-bari dynasty and Turakin Zazzau, Alhaji Aminu Shehu Idris also from the Katsinawa dynasty.

Kaduna state government through the Attorney-General Aisha Dikko tells Daily Trust she is not aware of the case and was yet to receive court documents.

But aides to the Iyan Zazzau confirm the prince has filed a suit at Kaduna State High Court.