Supreme Court Validates Abba Yusuf as Governor of Kano State

Alhaji Abdullahi Maidoya, former governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Nasarawa State, commended the Supreme Court‘s verdict on the Kano governorship dispute. He hailed the judgement as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.

Maidoya expressed his satisfaction with the judgement, stating that it accurately reflected the wishes and aspirations of the Kano electorate. He mentioned that the Kano citizens had overwhelmingly voted for Governor Abba Yusuf in the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

Maidoya expressed his gratitude towards the judiciary, praising their meticulous consideration of the case’s issues and facts before delivering their ruling. He believes that this judgement has renewed hope for Nigerians, emphasizing the judiciary’s significance as the last hope of the common man.

According to Maidoya, “The victory of Abba Yusuf at the Supreme Court is, therefore, a victory for democracy and the rule of law, and I think we should commend the judiciary for standing tall for what is right at this material time.”

“By the verdict of the Court, we believe that democracy is back on track in Nigeria and that justice and fairness will continue to prevail, especially in our apex court, the Supreme Court,” Governor Abba Yusuf said.

He also expressed his appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their neutrality and refusal to meddle with the mandate of the Kano citizens, despite pressure from various corners.

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

The Supreme Court, situated in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, confirmed Abba Yusuf as the legitimate governor of Kano State. The Supreme Court set aside the decisions of the lower courts that had removed Yusuf from office.

The court ordered the restoration of all the ballot papers from which the appellant votes had been removed. The Supreme Court stated that the ballot papers contained the logo of INEC (Independent Electoral Commission) and the coat of arms, as prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Moreover, the court ruled that the issue of party membership, which was another ground for Yusuf’s removal, is an internal affair of the party.

Abba Yusuf had appealed the decision, but the Court of Appeal upheld the tribunal’s ruling and criticized the lower court for not disqualifying the governor. The Court of Appeal also declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election.

The Kano State Election Petition Tribunal had initially removed Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party from office, declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid because they were not stamped or signed. However, the Supreme Court instructed the restoration of all the ballot papers from which the appellant’s votes were removed.