Amid knife-edge tension that has enveloped Kano State since the Court of Appeal in Abuja endorsed his sack by the Kano Election Tribunal, the Kano State Governor has explained why he is heading for the nation’s apex court.
Apparently anticipating the Governor’s predecessor and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Umar Ganduje, told journalists on Friday in reaction to Abba Kabir Yusuf’s sack: “Probably they will go to the Supreme Court which is part of democracy….
“There is nothing wrong for them to go to the Supreme Court. We too, are ready to meet them in the Supreme Court. And Inshallah, we will win in the Supreme Court as well.”
But Yusuf said on Saturday: “I hereby inform the people of Kano State and well-meaning Nigerians that based on consensus of our stakeholders we have instructed our lawyers to appeal against the judgment at the Supreme Court.
“We are optimistic that the Supreme Court will set aside these miscarriages of justice by the Election Petition Tribunal and the Appeal Court.
“We are also optimistic that the Supreme Court will reaffirm our mandate given by the people of Kano State,’’ Kano Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf announced on Saturday.
Yusuf lost at the Court Appeal, after he appealed the judgment of the Kano State Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal.
His spokesman, Mr Bature Dawakin-Tofa., said his principal called on the people of Kano State to go about their legitimate businesses as government had taken necessary measures to ensure the security of their lives and properties as a cardinal responsibility.
He assured that the temporary setback would not deter his administration from its commitment to continue with its laudable projects and programmes to restore the lost glory of the state.
He said he would instead roll out more initiatives to deliver dividends of democracy to citizens and residents of Kano State.
Yusuf also called on people of the state and other well-meaning Nigerians to continue to pray for Kano for God’s mercy and protection to save the state from injustice and from mischief makers.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja in Abuja ruled that Yusuf was not a bona fide member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) at the time of the election.
“A person must be a member of a political party before he can be sponsored for an election.
“Sponsorship without membership is like putting something on nothing, Justice M. U. Adumeh, panel chairman stated, while endorsing the earlier judgment of the Petition Tribunal, that sacked Yusuf.
Last September, the Election Petition declared Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the election March 18, 2023
Since that judgmentand Friday’s appeal court ruling, there has been tinder-box tension in Kano State, with many residents fearing violence..
