Daud Olatunji
In a seismic legal development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has delivered a decisive blow to the political landscape of Kano State by removing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from office.
The appellate court, in its session on Friday, November 17, upheld the verdict of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, officially declaring Nasir Ganuwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the March 18 governorship election.
The crux of the matter revolved around the court’s determination that Governor Yusuf was not a valid candidate during the pivotal election.
The panel, led by Justice M. U. Adumeh, emphasized that Yusuf lacked the valid sponsorship of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), rendering his candidacy legally untenable.
Justice Adumeh articulated the court’s reasoning, stating, “A person must be a member of a political party before he can be sponsored for an election. Sponsorship without membership is like putting something on nothing.”
The roots of this legal battle trace back to September 20, 2023, when the lower court nullified a staggering 165,663 votes cast for Governor Yusuf.
The Tribunal deemed these votes invalid on the grounds that they lacked the essential signatures or stamps from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This ruling resulted in a significant reduction in Governor Yusuf’s overall vote count, now standing at 853,939, while Nasir Ganuwa’s count remains at 890,705.
As the state grapples with the implications of this decision, political analysts predict a reshaping of Kano’s political landscape. Further details on the aftermath of this landmark ruling will be provided shortly.
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