There is palpable tension in Kano state as people are divided ahead of the Supreme Court judgment in the governorship tussle between the the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The polity is heating up daily. The legal battle is between Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the (NNPP) and the APC candidate, Dr. Nasiru Gawuna.
Yusuf, with his supporters, and Gawuna, with his, are keen to make history in the court. Some supporters have gone spiritual over to guber battle.
It was gathered that some supporters have turned to spiritual practices in the gubernatorial battle.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Yusuf as the winner of the March 18 poll. But Gawuna and the APC petitioned the poll outcome.
No fewer than nine appeals and counter-appeals have been thrown up since Gawuna lit legal fire.
A five-member panel of the apex court, presided over by Justice John Okoro, reserved judgment after hearing at the weekend.
The court said its decision in the appeal heard was to be applied to others because the issues are similar. After lawyers in the case adopted their written briefs and made the final submissions, Justice Okoro said the judgment had been reserved till a date to be communicated to parties.
Yusuf is by his appeal, seeking to upturn the November 17 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the September 20 decision of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal nullifying his victory in the March 18 poll.
But lawyer to the APC and its candidate in the election, Nasir Gawuna, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), is urging the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the concurrent findings of the two courts below.
Olujinmi cited Section 42 of Electoral Act and Regulation 19 of INEC Electoral Guidelines, arguing that INEC ought to have stamped, dated, and signed the ballots that were being disputed.
He faulted Olanipekun’s claim that only 1,886 votes were not signed and stamped by INEC.
The APC lawyer cited Section 177 (c) of the Constitution, arguing that the Court of Appeal has the jurisdiction to hear and determine Yusuf’s membership of the NNPP.
He recalled that the NNPP produced its membership register but Yusuf’s name was conspicuously absent, adding that Yusuf did not address the court on that issue.
The appeal lapses on January 14, 2024 and the Supreme Court must deliver judgment on the suit within the statutory 60 days it has to determine appeals on governorship election disputes.
The tribunal had voided Yusuf’s victory after declaring 165,616 of his votes were invalid, a decision the three-member panel of the Court of Appeal that sat in Abuja affirmed.
The police are saving the day. Political hoodlums plotting to take advantage of the legal battle and cause mayhem are being neutralised by the police and other sister security agencies.
A joint security operatives, including Army, Police, Civil Defence, vigilante and other security personnel have been manning major locations in the state capital to ensure no riot breaks out.
According to the Police Commissioner in Kano state, Hussaini Gumel, in the week foiled an attempt by some persons to burn the Government House and the APC secretariat in the state.
Dr Ilyasu Musa Kwankwaso, an ex-Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, has asked the NNPP to “stop wasting Kano’s meagre resources and wait for the Supreme Court judgment.
He accused Governor Yusuf of bankrolling “stage-managed protests designed to create tension in the state and make it look like all is not well.”