Jennifer Ugwueke
The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai has been dragged to Court by Bashir Aminu, the Iyan Zazzau for appointing Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the new Emir of Zazzau.
According to Daily Nigerian, Aminu in a suit filed before the Kaduna State High Court on Monday, October 12, asked the Court to remove Bamalli. El-Rufai and nine others including the Attorney-General of Kaduna State; Kaduna State council of Chiefs were joined as defendants in the suit seeking to quash Bamalli’s recent appointment.
Aminu, who holds the title of Iyan Zazzau, was top on the list of three shortlisted princes submitted to El-Rufai by the five kingmakers of the emirate for his consideration and appointment for emir. The Governor, however, discarded the report, citing allegations of inducement by one of the contenders and announced the appointment of Bamalli, following a fresh selection process among 13 princes.
Recall that Bamalli, a Nigerian ambassador to Thailand, was announced as the new emir by the Kaduna State Government.
He succeeded Alhaji Shehu Idris as he was named the 19th Emir of Zazzau. Idris who died on Sunday, September 20, ruled for 45 years. With this appointment, Bamalli becomes the first emir from the Mallawa ruling house in 100 years after his grandfather Emir Dan Sidi died in 1920.