Supreme Court Reserves Judgment in Kano Governorship Legal Battle

After a six-hour legal battle at the Supreme Court in Abuja, a judgment has been reserved in the Kano State Governorship legal dispute involving the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), represented by their governorship candidates Kabir Yusuf and Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, respectively.

During the proceedings, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, representing the NNPP, urged the Supreme Court to set aside the decisions of the Appeal Court and the Tribunal.

Chief Wole specifically argued whether the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could justify nullifying an election won by a candidate with a margin of over 100,000 votes, citing the unprecedented nature of an election being annulled due to unsigned or unstamped ballot papers.

In response, the APC’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi, maintained that the Electoral Act requires INEC presiding officers to sign the back of ballot papers after elections, making them legal.

He emphasized that the tribunal found the ballot papers in question to be unsigned and undated, leading to the cancellation of the election where they were used.

Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, representing INEC, supported Olanipekun’s arguments, asserting that the lower courts’ decisions were flawed.

He highlighted procedural irregularities, including the late submission of a witness’s testimony, which the tribunal used to invalidate Abba Yusuf’s election.

Counsel for the NNPP, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, argued that the absence of signatures on ballot papers should not invalidate an election.

He criticized the tribunal’s recounting of ballots in chambers and urged the Supreme Court to reinstate the cancelled votes of Abba Yusuf.

After hearing the arguments, Justice John Inyang Okoro reserved judgment on the governor’s appeal.

The tribunal had nullified Yusuf’s election in September, citing over 160,000 invalid votes due to missing signatures and stamps on the ballot papers.

The APC had alleged electoral malpractice, leading to the tribunal’s decision.

Yusuf appealed the tribunal’s ruling to the Court of Appeal, which upheld the decision, declaring Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna of the APC as the winner of the Kano State governorship poll held on March 18.