By Haruna Aliyu, Birnin Kebbi

The Supreme Court has rescheduled its judgment in the long-standing legal battle over the reinstatement of Al-Mustapha Haruna-Jokolo as the 19th Emir of Gwandu.

The new date for the ruling is June 4, 2025, earlier than the initially scheduled June 6, due to the declaration of public holidays for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

A five-member panel of justices, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, had earlier fixed June 6 after hearing submissions from all parties involved on March 11.

The appeals before the court challenge a 2016 decision of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, which upheld the 2014 ruling of the Kebbi State High Court that ordered the reinstatement of Haruna-Jokolo. The former Emir was deposed in 2005 under controversial circumstances and subsequently challenged the action in court.

Despite the lower court ruling in his favour, the Kebbi State Government and the current Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Ilyasu-Bashar, appealed the decision. Their arguments include that the case was wrongly filed at the State High Court, rendering the appeal proceedings null and void.

Currently, the Supreme Court is reviewing four appeals and two cross-appeals. A single consolidated judgment will be delivered to address all the submissions.

Legal representation includes Barrister Sylvester Imhanobe for the deposed Emir, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) for the Kebbi State Government, and Hussaini Zakariya (SAN) for the current Emir.

As the ruling date approaches, many Birnin Kebbi residents have expressed mixed feelings, with some calling for a peaceful resolution that would preserve the relative calm in the state. The verdict is expected to bring final closure to a 20-year-old royal succession dispute in the Gwandu Emirate.