The Kano chapter of All Progressives Congress on Sunday dismissed a viral report that it had a clandestine meeting with President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the party to influence the outcome of the Supreme Court appeal filed by the New Nigerian People’s Party.
The development comes two months after Governor Abba Yusuf and the NNPP vowed to seek redress at the Supreme Court after Kano APC candidate Nasir Gawuna was affirmed as the winner of the contentious March 18 governorship election.
The three-member panel of the Appeal Court led by Justice M. A. Adumeh held that Yusuf was not in the membership register of his political party.
Citing a provision of the electoral act, he said a party must have the names of its registered members both in hard and soft copies.
In a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, Kano APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas dismissed the rumour, saying it was the figment of the imagination of those peddling it.
He said, “There is nowhere such a meeting was held with either Mr President or any leader of the party. President Bola Tinubu is a Democrat and strongly believes in the rule of law and the right thing to be done therefore will not be part of any arrangement or reconciliation to subvert justice and support people who have stolen votes or breach the electoral act to emerge as leaders.”
Continuing, Abbas reiterated that the party was not aware of such an arrangement and would rather intensify efforts to pursue its case at the Supreme Court to a logical conclusion.
The Kano APC chair said that there was no tension in Kano, stressing that the people are happy with the outcome of both the tribunal and appeal court judgments.
Abbas assured that the party will continue to ensure harmonious and peaceful relationships with ethnic groups and nationalities in the state despite occasional provocations from the governing party.