Confusion As Appeal Court Certified Judgment Upholds Kano Gov. Abba Yusuf’s Election

Contrary to public declaration, fresh revelation has indicated that the Court of Appeal, sitting on Kano governorship election, set aside the judgment of the Kano petition tribunal.

In the revelation as contained in the certified true copy of the Appeal court judgment released on Tuesday, the appellate court upheld the victory of Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP as duly elected Governor of Kano.

The three-member panel of the appeal court, on Friday 17th November 2023 had dismissed the appeal filed by Governor Yusuf on the basis of his membership status. The appellate court subsequently affirmed Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress APC as winner of March 25th, 2023 Governorship poll in Kano.

In one instance, the appellate court declared: “I will conclude by stating that the live issues in this appeal are hereby resolved in favour of the 1st respondent (APC) and against the appellant (Governor Abba Yusuf)”, but went further to contradict itself in another sentence.

The court said: “In the circumstances, I resolve all the issues in favour of the appellant (NNPP) and against the 1st respondent (APC).” The court further contradicted itself, declaring “Therefore, I find no merit in this appeal which is liable to be and is hereby dismissed.” But in the final line of the judgment, the court set aside the judgment of the tribunal, which sacked the governor.

“The judgment of the tribunal In Petition No.: EPT/KN/GOV/01/2023 between: ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) v. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION & 2 ORS. delivered on the 20th day of September, 2023 is hereby set aside,” the CTC of the judgement read.

Recall that the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on September 20 sacked the governor and declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Nasiru Gawuna, winner of the March 18 governorship poll.

Dissatisfied by the lower tribunal’s decision, the governor, through his counsel Wole Olanipekun, asked the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal.But the court of appeal in a unanimous ruling on Friday said the governor was not a valid candidate in the March 18 gubernatorial election.

Addressing journalists Tuesday evening, Kano state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Dederi said page 67 of the certified copy of the judgement clearly indicated that the tribunal’s ruling that sacked Governor Yusuf was set aside.

Dederi insisted that contrary to what the Judges read to the public in the courtroom on the 17th November, the written evidence has vindicated Yusuf as legitimate Governor of Kano state.