In a significant legal development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the decision of the Election Petitions Tribunal, leading to the removal of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State from office. The verdict, delivered on Friday, supported the tribunal’s ruling that the candidacy of Abba Yusuf was in violation of Electoral Law, rendering him unqualified to contest the election.
This decision comes nearly two months after the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, on September 20, nullified Yusuf’s victory, subsequently declaring Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the March 18 election.
Governor Yusuf, who ran on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), had initially been declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in March. However, the tribunal, in its September ruling, deducted 165,663 votes from Yusuf’s total, categorizing them as invalid due to the absence of proper stamps or signatures.
This legal battle unfolded six months after the APC candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, graciously conceded defeat to Yusuf. In a brief two-minute audio statement on March 29, Gawuna, citing his adherence to Islamic principles, acknowledged the election results and expressed his acceptance of the outcome.
Gawuna’s statement highlighted his commitment to respecting the democratic process, even as his campaign team had requested a review of the election results by INEC. Subsequently, upon thorough examination, the electoral commission confirmed Yusuf as the legitimate winner, leading to the earlier declaration.