The appeal filed by New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate Abba Yusuf, who is contesting the decision of the election petition tribunal that removed him from office as governor of Kano State, will be heard by the Court of Appeal in Abuja tomorrow, Monday.
Vanguard reports that Yusuf is attempting to reverse the tribunal’s ruling, which recognised All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as the state’s legitimately elected governor following the election on March 18, 2023.
The tribunal had nullified 165,663 votes cast for Yusuf on the grounds that they were not authenticated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This reduced Yusuf’s votes from 1,019,602 to 853,939, making him lose to Gawuna, who polled 890,705 votes.
Yusuf, his party, and INEC are contending that the tribunal erred in law and fact by invalidating the votes and declaring Gawuna the winner. They are praying to the appellate court to set aside the tribunal’s judgement and uphold Yusuf’s election as the governor of Kano State.
The hearing notice issued by the court indicates that the appeal, numbered CA/KN/EP/GOV/KAN/34/2023, will be heard by a panel of five justices tomorrow at 10 a.m.
However, the outcome of the appeal will determine the fate of Yusuf and Gawuna, who have been locked in a legal battle over the governorship seat of Kano State, the most populous state in Nigeria. While the appeal has generated tension and anxiety among the supporters of both parties, who are eagerly awaiting the court’s decision.
