Court court orders two judges to resign from panels set up to probe Ganduje.
Two Kano judges have been given a 48-hour notice to vacate their positions by the Federal High Court that is sitting in Kano.
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf appointed Justice Zuwaira Yusuf to head the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Political Violence, and Justice Farouk Lawan Adamu to head the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Recovery of Misappropriated Public Properties and Assets.
In an effort to halt Governor Yusuf’s investigation into his government, former governor Abdullahi Ganduje took the matter to Justice Simon Amobeda.
In Thursday’s ruling, Justice Amobeda stressed the importance of judicial independence and the improperness of judges carrying out executive functions.
The speaker said that judges in Kano State should not be carrying out executive duties in courtrooms that are supposed to settle issues between citizens and government officials.
If the judges do not comply within the given deadline, the National Judicial Council (NJC) is instructed by the court to stop paying their salaries, allowances, and benefits.
After the judges failed to meet the 48-hour deadline, Justice Amobeda decreed that the National Judicial Council (1st Defendant) would immediately cease paying the judges any remuneration, allowances, or benefits that were intended for judicial officers from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
Additionally, the ruling upheld a prior ruling by Justice A.M. Liman, which had previously determined that an inquiry into Ganduje could only be launched by the EFCC or the ICPC.
Justice Amobeda criticised Governor Yusuf for what she termed “an abuse of office and undermining the sanctity of the judiciary” in deciding to establish the commissions without appealing this judgement.
“The action of the Governor of Kano State in appointing the 4th and 5th defendants as chairmen of the commissions of inquiry… is an encroachment into and undermining the judicial arm of government, a breach of the doctrine of the separation of powers, a grave violation of the Constitution, and gross misconduct on the part of the Governor of Kano State and the 3rd defendant who administered the oath of office and oath of allegiance to the 4th and 5th defendants,” Justice Amobeda maintained in his ruling.