*Felicitates Yusuf, Kwankwaso Others
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
A New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP), chieftain, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo on Friday, said that the Supreme Court judgment on Kano State governorship election has saved Nigeria’s democracy.
The NNPP chieftain in a statement he issued immediately after the judgement to felicitate Governor Abba Yusuf on his victory at the Supreme Court, said the, “victory is a well deserved one and a good development for Kano State.
” We know all along that the wishes of millions of Kano voters will be upheld. I thank our supporters nationwide for their peaceful conduct in the face of provocation by the All Progressives Congress, (APC) which wanted to take victory through the backdoor”, he said.
The NNPP chieftain added, “I now call on Governor Abba Yusuf to continue his good work for the progress of Kano State. I also felicitate our leaders, led by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso for their maturity, and peaceful conduct while the case lasted.
“We thank God for the victory and NNPP will from now on go from leap to leaps”,
New Nigerian recalls that the
Supreme Court in its judgment on Friday, certified the election of Abba Yusuf as Kano State governor with the five-member panel of the apex court held that the tribunal and the Court of Appeal erred by sacking Yusuf, candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), as governor of the state.
The Supreme Court had reserved judgment after hearing the appeals on December 21, 2023.
It would also be recalled that In March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Yusuf as the winner of the Kano governorship election.
The Kano governor scored 1,019,602 votes to defeat Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 890,705 votes.
In September, the Kano governorship election petition tribunal sacked Yusuf as governor of the state.
The tribunal deducted 165,663 votes from the 1,019,602 recorded for Yusuf because the ballot papers were not stamped, signed and dated as required by law.The tribunal then declared Gawuna as the winner of the election.
Displeased with the verdict, the NNPP and its candidate challenged the judgment at the appellate court.
On November 17, 2023, the court of appeal upheld the tribunal’s verdict and added that Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP when he contested the election.
However, controversy trailed the verdict days later when a certified true copy (CTC) of the appeal court judgment surfaced, contradicting the November 17 ruling.
