- The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sets Wednesday as the hearing date for the APC’s petition against NNPP Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s victory
- Both parties express confidence in the outcome, with the NNPP hoping for dismissal, and the APC expecting victory
The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has set Wednesday as the hearing date for the All Progressives Congress (APC) petition challenging the victory of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Barrister Bashir T/Wurzici, secretary of the NNPP legal team, confirmed the date, saying the team was served with the notice Monday evening.
We are happy that the day is finally at hand and we are very happy because we know the petition will be dismissed with cost.
We are hoping the tribunal will follow suit with the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal because the matters are similar, he said.
On his part, the deputy chairman of the APC in Kano, Shehu Maigari, said they expect the judgment “to be in our favour based on the documented evidence we submitted to the tribunal; we are optimistic that we will come out victorious.
We are not afraid of anything because we are confident in the evidential documents we have submitted. So we are optimistic based on what we have submitted.
The anticipation of the judgment has created tension in the state, with both parties organizing prayers to seek God’s help.
The impending judgment has also resulted in the dismissal of a commissioner who threatened the tribunal judges with death.
According to the Daily Trust, during the adoption of final written addresses, the respondents to the petition, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Yusuf, and the NNPP all urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition. In contrast, the APC urged the tribunal to uphold the petition and return Nasir Gawuna as the election winner.
Offiong Offiong (SAN), counsel for the APC, contended that the evidence presented before the tribunal established that Governor Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP prior to the election and thus could not have been duly elected.
He also claimed that the respondents could not deny that there were flaws in some of the over 130,000 ballot papers used to declare Yusuf the winner and that if those were deducted from the total tally, his client would have won the March 28 election.
Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), counsel to Governor Yusuf, claimed that all 29 witnesses called by the petitioner were imposters and that the tribunal should disregard any evidence they gave.