The Supreme Court has stopped the drum beats of the All Progress Congress (APC) in Kano State as it declared Abba Yusuf of New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) as the newly elected Governor of Kano State.
This legal declaration brings to an end the legal battle in the commercial State of Northern Nigeria.
The supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who had been in a jubilant mood in the expectation for victory had their hope dashed by the judgment.
The ruling at the Supreme Court on Friday witnessed Justice John Okoro ordering that all the ballot papers from which the appellant votes were deducted should be restored to the governor.
He said the said paper contains the logo of INEC and the coat of arms as prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Acts.
He also held that the issue of party membership is an internal affair of the party with this statement being said several times by the courts.
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It would be recalled that the tribunal had set aside Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party’s victory after declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid.
The tribunal (lower court) held that the deducted votes were from ballot papers that were neither stamped nor signed.
The Governor, not satisfied with the judgment, moved to the appeal court for redress.
The appeal court also upheld the tribunal’s decision and faulted the lower court for not disqualifying the governor.
The appellate court said the governor was not properly sponsored by the New Nigeria People’s Party, thus violating the provisions of Section 177 (c) of the constitution.
The court, however, declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress winner of the election.
Meanwhile, at the Supreme Court today, Justice John Okoro ordered that all the ballot papers from which the appellant votes were deducted should be restored to the governor.
Meanwhile, jubilation took over the city of Kano over the restoration of Governor Abba Yusuf to power as the duly elected governor of the state.
The National Chairman of All Progressive Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje was yet to make an official response to the judgment.
