By Adedapo Adesanya
The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Mr Abba Yusuf as the Governor of Kano State, setting aside the verdicts of the Court of Appeal and election petitions tribunal, which nullified his victory in the March 18, 2023, governorship poll.
A five-member panel of the apex court in a judgment delivered by Justice John Okor held that the tribunal and the court of appeal erred by sacking Mr Yusuf, the candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), as the governor of the state
Mr Yusuf and his party NNPP had filed an appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had affirmed his sacking as earlier pronounced by the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The tribunal had sacked him and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw his certificate of return and instead issue the same to Mr Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, not satisfied with the tribunal’s judgment, Mr Yusuf approached the Appeal Court. But the appellate court had while affirming his sack, further held that the governor was not a member of the party as of the time of the election and could not have been said to have been properly sponsored for the election.
The Court also upheld the election of Mr Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Zamfara 2023 governorship poll.
The five-member panel of justices in a judgment read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal that declared the election inconclusive.
In Plateau’s case, the Supreme Court has upheld the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
Mr Muftwang’s victory at the March 18, 2023 poll was upheld by the State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Jos but the appeal court overturned the lower court’s victory declaring Mr Nentawe Goshwe of the All Progressives Congress the winner of the election.
The Appeal Court ruled that the failure of the PDP to comply with the order of the Plateau State High Court in Jos directing it to conduct valid ward, local governments, and state congresses before nominating its candidates for the various elective posts was a breach of the law.
The court, for the same reason, sacked many lawmakers elected on the PDP platform in the state.
Justice Agim held that the APC and its candidate are not members of the PDP and cannot challenge the primary election of the PDP.
He noted that the petition of the APC in the first place was an abuse of the court process and faulted the appeal court for sacking the governor.
