Over 19 years after, the legal battle between the dethroned Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Al-Mustapha Jokolo and the Kebbi State government has continued to linger.
The Court of Appeal in Sokoto State, today, October 28, ruled that Jokolo was dethroned in June 2005, by the then Governor Muhammad Adamu Aliero without being given fair hearing.
In a unanimous judgment, read by Justice Ebiowei Tobi, the court held that the appeal filed by the Kebbi government lacked merit and upheld the lower court decision.
Justice Tobi said that the decision was arrived after thorough consideration of the lower court judgment .
The court cited non-compliance with the Chief’s appointment and the Deposition Law of Kebbi.
“I have looked at the judgment of the lower court and it did not mention the evidences as the ground of the judgement.
”The appeal lacks merit and therefore dismissed. By so doing, I reaffirms the judgment of the lower court delivered.”
According to him, the sister appeal was equally determined in favour of Jokolo because they were all talking about the same subject matter.
Recall that the Kebbi State government, alongside with 12 others, had instituted an appeal against the judgement of the lower court on the fundamental right of the former Emir.
The Appellants were represented by Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) while the respondent was represented by Fascal Onyenobi, during the hearing of the suit.
In April 2016, the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Tunde Awotoye, upheld the High Court’s decision, saying that the Governor’s actions contravened the provisions of Sections 6 and 7 of the Chief Appointment and Deposition Law.
