Zazzau Prince Calls For Bamalli’s Removal As Emir

The appointment of Ahmed Bamalli as the new Emir of Zazzau, has been challenged by a prince of Zazzau Emirate, Bashari Aminu.

Recall that Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai announced Bamalli as the new Emir.

Aminu filed the suit at the Kaduna State High Court.  A source close to the prince confirmed the development.

Five kingmakers of the Emirate had ranked Aminu first in an initial list forwarded to El-Rufai.

The state government, however, discarded the kingmakers’ list, citing allegations of inducement by one of the contenders.

The government later announced the appointment of Mr Bamalli, following a fresh selection process among 13 princes, ordered by the state government.

Aminu in his suit sued the Kaduna State Governor and nine others in the suit seeking to remove Bamalli.

The court filings signed by Yunus Usman, a senior advocate of Nigeria, seeks 10 reliefs from the court.

Aside Messrs El-Rufai and Bamalli, Mr Aminu also joined the Kaduna State Attorney General, Kaduna Council of Chiefs, Zazzau Emirate Council and the five kingmakers as parties to the suit.

Mr Aminu prayed the court to validate the selection process of the Zazzau kingmakers which placed him ahead of two other princes and excluded Mr Bamalli from the shortlist.

He argues that the appointment of Mr Bamalli contravened Chiefs (Appointment and Depositions) Law Cap 21 of 1991.

Mr Aminu wants the court to declare the appointment as “irregular, illegal, unconstitutional, unjust inequitable and contrary to good conscience, null and void and of no effect whatsoever”.

He also asked the court to declare that he was “duly and properly selected/elected and appointed as the Emir of Zazzau (Zaria) by the traditional kingmakers of Zazzau in accordance with Zazzau Native Law, Custom and Tradition.”

He also wants the court to bar Bamalli from declaring himself as the emir of Zazzau and to stop the state government from proceeding with Bamalli’s coronation as the Zazzau emir.