Kano Governor Sacked by Appeal Court - Election Crisis in Nigeria

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, has removed Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State from office. The panel of judges upheld the decision of the tribunal led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay, which had earlier sacked Yusuf on September 20, 2023. 

The lower court invalidated 165,663 votes cast for Yusuf, who contested under the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), as they were not signed or stamped by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Consequently, the governor's total votes were reduced to 853,939, while his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Nasir Ganuwa, maintained his tally of 890,705 votes.

Yusuf disputed the tribunal's verdict, describing it as "unfair" and "a miscarriage of justice". Consequently, he appealed the decision and sought for it to be set aside. His legal representative, Wole Olanipekun, argued that the nullification of an election based on the non-signing of the back of ballot papers was unprecedented. Additionally, he contended that it was the first time a political party had filed a petition without including its candidate and yet the candidate was declared the winner of the election.

On the other hand, Akin Olujimi, counsel for the APC, countered Olanipekun's arguments. He stated that the Appeal Court had made it clear that the failure to sign the ballots constituted electoral malpractice.

Further details regarding this case are yet to be provided.