By Olusegun Olanrewaju
There is tension in Kano after the embattled governor of the state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, announced his decision to challenge the judgment of an appellate court that voided his stay in office at the weekend.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the embattled governor, Sanusi Bature Tofa, revealed over the weekend that his principal’s decision to appeal the case at the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court.
*Says ‘It’s a miscarriage of justice’
The statement said the governor, in a special broadcast made to the good people, reacted to the appeal court judgment, describing it as a miscarriage of justice.
“I want to inform the good people of Kano and indeed well-meaning Nigerians that based on the consensus of our stakeholders, we have instructed our lawyers to commence the process of appealing this judgment at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“We are optimistic that the Supreme Court will by the grace of Allahu SWT set aside these miscarriages of justice by the tribunal and the appeal courts, and reaffirm our mandate given by the good people of Kano State,” the governor said.
The statement added, “He (the governor) used the opportunity to call on people of the state to continue to go about their legitimate businesses as the government had taken all necessary measures to ensure the security of their lives and properties in the state as a cardinal responsibility.
“Alhaji Abba Kabir assured that the temporary setback will not deter his administration from its commitment to continue with laudable projects and programmes targeted at restoring the lost glory of the state.”
“According to the governor, instead, he will roll out more initiatives to deliver the dividends of democracy to the citizens and residents of Kano State.
“He called on the good people of the state and other well-meaning Nigerians to continue to pray to Kano and for Allah’s mercy and protection to save the state from the injustice of mischief-makers who are desperately scheming to hijack power through the back door and return the state to the dark-age.”
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*Don’t play with fire in Kano– Kperogi, public analyst
But commenting on the judgement, a public commentator, Farooq A. Kperogi, has opined that President Bola Tinubu and All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, ‘shouldn’t play with fire in Kano’.
In a tweet, United Atlanta, United States-based Kperogi, wrote: “In a predictable, premeditated, and carefully choreographed judicial charade, the Court of Appeal on Friday upheld the verdict of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that reversed the electoral triumph of NNPP’s Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State.
“I sincerely hope this assault on justice isn’t the spark that ignites an inferno in Kano—and in the country.”
According to him, “The signs had been evident since early October that a predetermination had been made that irrespective of the facts, the flawed, pre-planned judgment of the election petition tribunal must be preserved at all costs.
“For example, on October 6, the Head of the Legal Department of INEC in Kano State by the name of Suleiman Alkali wrote a curious letter stating that INEC, which had declared NNP’s Yusuf as the validly elected winner of the governorship election in Kano, was no longer interested in defending its declaration.
“I have been instructed by the commission headquarters that INEC as an umpire has no reason to appeal any judgment,” he wrote.
Kperogi added, “Consequently, the National Commission in charge of Legal Services and National Commissioner in charge of Kano zone directed that the appeal be withdrawn and all processes for all appeals should be forwarded to the Kano Office.”
*NNPP chides APC
Meanwhile, South-West Secretary of Kabir’s platform, the New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP), Dr Babatunde Oke, has chided the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the court of appeal judgment which ruled that Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, is not a member of the NNPP.
The party noted that the APC and the court have no right to determine who is a member of the NNPP.
In a statement yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Oke gave his reaction to the judgment of the Court of Appeal which on Friday, affirmed the tribunal judgment which declared the Kano State APC candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, winner of the governorship election.
Delivering judgment on the matter on Friday, the Appeal Court held that Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election, because he is not a member of the NNPP.
But Oke in the statement said, the Appeal Court judgment will be overturned by the Supreme Court, saying political parties have supremacy over their affairs.
He said from the previous judgments, it has been ascertained that political parties have supremacy over their affairs and no court can inquire into the membership or leadership of a political party.
In the documents attached to the statement signed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the name of Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf name was clearly shown on 56209 of the NNPP members’ registration.
“Where did the Appeal Court and APC get their membership register, where Abba Kabir Yusuf’s name was not found?
“Our National Secretary, Dipo Olayoku, on June 23, 2023, requested a true certified copy of Kano membership registration that was submitted to the INEC before the election.
“The letter which was addressed to the Secretary, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, entitled: ‘Request for Certified True Copy of Updated NNPP Membership Register Submitted to the Commission’.
“The letter reads: We hereby request for the Certified True copy of our updated Party Membership Register earlier submitted to the Commission.
“This certification of our copy of the register becomes necessary for court processes involving our party.”
*We’re still hopeful of victory at the apex court- Ganduje
In another development, the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, has said they are not afraid of facing the ousted governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, and NNPP at the Supreme Court, following their loss at the court of appeal on Friday.
The immediate past governor of Kano also hailed the judiciary ‘for living up to expectations’.
Ganduje’s praise came hours after an Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal affirmed the APC candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, as the winner of the governorship election in Kano.
Delivering judgment on the matter on Friday, the three-member panel led by Justice M.A Adumeh held that Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election as he was not in the membership register of his political party.
Ganduje said it would be unfair not to also appreciate the NNPP for dragging them to court in the first place.
He, however, boasted that they would match their grit for grit at the apex court after the appeal court threw out their case.
He said, “I thank Allah for this important judgment. We have to thank the judiciary for providing a good administration of justice despite all the distractions that have taken place since the beginning of the case. There is no doubt this is a victory for democracy.
“It is a victory for APC and a victory for Kano State. “This is an indication that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. Democracy we can say is matured in Nigeria. We have to thank all those stakeholders, even the political parties, even the NNPP that took us to the Appeal Court.
“There is no doubt that after the election you get into litigation. And the end is always determined by the judiciary. For Kano State, this victory is for all of us. We are fully aware of what happened during the election.
*My victory, from God- Gawuna
Speaking in the same vein, the APC gubernatorial candidate who is the beneficiary of the sack order, Gawuna has shared the sentiment of the APC national chairman when he attributed the victory to God and the judiciary.
The APC candidate of Kano also vowed not to disappoint the people of Kano State.
“Whoever goes to the court like this and is given judgment in his favour definitely will feel very happy and grateful to Allah for the Court of Appeal to affirm his victory.
“I am so happy. I am also still deep in my thoughts because I have to sit down and think very well. But because of the confidence and expectations of the people in us, Insha Allahu we are praying that we will not fail our people,” he stated.
