Supreme Court Confirms Abba Yusuf as Governor of Kano State

Govnor Abba Yusuf of Kano state is pleased with the Supreme Court‘s affirmation of his position as the authentic governor of the state. He believes that this verdict signifies a return to democracy in Nigeria and shows that the electoral process was transparent and constitutional.

The governor expressed his gratitude to the justices of the Supreme Court and also acknowledged the neutrality of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima during the legal battle.

Ladipo Johnson, the National Auditor of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP), also hailed the Supreme Court’s judgment as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.

The Supreme Court, sitting in Abuja, overturned previous decisions that had removed Govnr Abba Yusuf from office. The court ordered the restoration of all ballot papers from which the appellant’s votes had been invalidated, stating that they contained the necessary markings prescribed by the Electoral Act.

In addition, the Supreme Court ruled that the issue of party membership, which was used as grounds for the governor’s removal, is an internal affair of the party and therefore not within the court’s jurisdiction.

The New Nigeria People’s Party had appealed the previous judgments, and the Court of Appeal had upheld the decision to remove Govnr Abba Yusuf from office. The Appeal Court also declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress as the elected governor.

The Independent Electoral Commission had initially declared Yusuf the winner of the election, but the APC and its candidate, Gawuna, challenged this outcome at the state tribunal. The tribunal ruled in favor of Gawuna, citing invalidated votes and the absence of Yusuf’s name on the party’s register as reasons for disqualification.

Prior to the Supreme Court’s judgment, the Kano State Police Command assured residents of their safety, stating that security measures had been put in place to ensure peaceful proceedings.