Kano Gubernatorial Dispute: Appellate Court Sets Friday for Final Judgment
The Appeal Court has fixed Friday as the day to deliver its judgment in the Kano State Governorship election petition case. The Kano State Governorship election petition tribunal had ruled in March 2019 that the election of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was valid. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Abba Kabir- Yusuf, had subsequently filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal. With the court’s ruling pending, the citizens of Kano remain on edge, awaiting Friday’s decision.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has scheduled Friday for the judgement in the appeal filed by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf challenging his removal by the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The three-judge panel, led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay, had removed Yusuf from office on September 20, 2023, after declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid due to a lack of signature or stamp by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). As a result, Yusuf's vote count was reduced to 853,939, while his rival, Nasir Ganuwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), remained at 890,705 votes.
Yusuf rejected the tribunal's verdict, citing it as "unfair" and a "miscarriage of justice," and proceeded to the appeal court. At the court, Wole Olanipekun, the lead counsel for Yusuf, requested that the tribunal's judgement be overturned. Olanipekun argued against the ruling on ballot papers, stating that it is the first time in history that an election has been annulled due to the non-signing of the back of the ballot papers.
He also contended that the tribunal made an error, noting 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. However, Akin Olujimi, the counsel for the APC, countered this argument, stating that the Appeal Court had clearly stated that the non-signing of ballots constituted electoral malpractice.
