Supreme Court Ends 19-Year Gwandu Emirate Dispute, Rejects Jokolo’s Reinstatement

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ended a 19-year legal battle over the Gwandu Emirate throne, nullifying the reinstatement of Al-Mustapha Haruna Jokolo as the 19th Emir of Gwandu.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim ruled that the Kebbi State High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain Jokolo’s suit, as he failed to exhaust the internal dispute resolution mechanisms outlined under the Kebbi State Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) Law.

According to Section 5(4) of the law, an aggrieved party must first submit a formal complaint to the Governor of Kebbi State before approaching the courts.

“This suit was filed prematurely, without first complying with the requirement to present a complaint to the governor. Consequently, the trial court lacked jurisdiction, and its judgment is a nullity,” Justice Agim stated.

Jokolo, who was deposed in 2005 under controversial circumstances, had won a 2014 Kebbi State High Court judgment ordering his reinstatement—a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal in Sokoto in 2016.

However, the Kebbi State Government and the current Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Ilyasu-Bashar, appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that Jokolo failed to comply with the required administrative procedures.

The Supreme Court agreed, holding that both the High Court and the Court of Appeal erred in law by proceeding with the case without the mandatory administrative steps.

“The failure to first notify the governor stripped the court of jurisdiction to hear the case,” Justice Agim reaffirmed.

As a result, the apex court set aside the rulings of the lower courts, effectively ending Jokolo’s legal bid for reinstatement. No order was made as to costs.

However, in a dissenting opinion, Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Salami disagreed with the majority, dismissing the cross-appeals and affirming the decisions of the lower courts. He emphasized that the governor is obligated to act in accordance with due process and the law.

The Supreme Court consolidated four appeals and two cross-appeals into a single proceeding, with all parties agreeing to be bound by the outcome of the principal appeal.

Though the judgment was originally scheduled for June 6, it was delivered earlier on June 4 to accommodate the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir holidays.

Wednesday’s ruling brings a final close to the prolonged legal contest for the Gwandu Emirate throne, which began with Jokolo’s removal in 2005.