Tobias Sylvester
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Abba Yusuf, reinstating him as the governor of Kano state.
A five-member panel at the apex court determined that both the tribunal and the court of appeal made errors in removing Yusuf, the candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), from his position of governor.
After hearing appeals on December 21, 2023, the Supreme Court reserved judgment and certified the election of Abba Yusuf as Kano governor.
In March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Yusuf the winner of the Kano governorship election, where he secured 1,019,602 votes, defeating Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, in September, the Kano governorship election petition tribunal ousted Yusuf as governor, deducting 165,663 votes from his total due to unstamped, unsigned, and undated ballot papers.
The tribunal declared Gawuna the winner.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the NNPP and Yusuf challenged it at the appellate court.
In its judgment on Friday, January 12, 2024, the Supreme Court panel, led by John Okoro, criticized the tribunal for invalidating the 165,663 votes.
The apex court stated that the ballot papers, part of an official booklet carrying logos and the map of Nigeria, could not be invalidated.
The court emphasized that the petitioners failed to prove that these ballot papers were not part of the booklet provided by INEC to presiding officers.
Regarding party membership, the court held that such matters are internal affairs not subject to challenge by members of other parties.
Consequently, the court set aside the lower court’s judgment, thereby affirming Abba Yusuf’s legitimacy as the elected governor of Kano.
KanyiDaily recalls that the Supreme Court also upheld the election of Bala Mohammed as the governor of Bauchi state.
