Percy Onyeka
The joy of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for producing a sitting state governor in the country’s new political dispensation, seems to have short-lived as the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Kano state has sacked the party’s only governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Abba Kabir Yusuf was declared winner of the March 18 governorshiip election in Kano state by the Independent National Electoral Commission'(INEC), having polled a total number of 1,019 602 votes to defeat his closest rival Nasir Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 890, 705 votes.
Gawuna, a former deputy governor of the state, and his APC however rejected the results as declared by INEC and consequently approached the election tribunal where it sought the court to annul Yusuf’s election and declare him winner of the poll
The tribunal proceedings has left the state with high anxiety and tension as threats and counter threats have continued to come from both the camps of the NNPP and APC
Delivering judgement via zoom on Wednesday, the three-man panel ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return which it has earlier presented to Governor Yusuf and directed that same should be issued to Gawuna.
The court swiftly deducted 165,663 votes from Governor Yusuf’s total votes which it declared as invalid votes, stating that the ballot papers containing the 165,663 withdrawn votes were not stamped or signed and therefore declared invalid.
The ruling which has raised tension in Kano is coming six months after the APC candidate had conceded defeat
Garuna had in an audio statement on March 29, stated that “as a good Muslim”, he was compelled to accept the outcome of the election, whether in his favour or not.
He added that although his campaign team had requested a review of the election results by INEC, upon review, the commission had found Yusuf to be the winner of the election.
The story was however different in Bauchi state, as the election of Governor Bala Mohammed of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been ratified by the State Governorshiip Election Petitions Tribunal
The governor who expressed his joy over the tribunal’s judgement on Wednesday, extended the olive branch to his opponents in the March 18 governorship election after the Justice P.T Kwahar-led tribunal upheld his re-election.
Governor Bala Mohammed who spoke to the press after his victory was affirmed by the Election Petition Tribunal in Bauchi on Wednesday, said that it is time to set aside whatever misgivings and move on.
“Today, the Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Bauchi revalidated the mandate that you gave to me last March. It was a profound judgment that will continue to resonate within multiple circles as a demonstration of judicial rigour and commonsense and an affirmation of the sovereign will of the people over political brinksmanship and an entitlement mentality.
“Our victory today is by the grace of Allah who gives power to whom he wishes and takes it without consulting the holder. We are once again reminded that all power is held in trust on behalf of God.
“It is an unambiguous statement that despite the mischief of political merchants who arrogate to themselves kingmaker status and deceive some of our unsuspecting compatriots into believing that they can determine the destiny of others, God still reigns in the affairs of all his creations.
“In the nature of things, many of our supporters would expect me to jubilate over the verdict that has just confirmed the overwhelming mandate that they freely gave to me at the last governorship election in the state. Naturally, I am relieved and happy that this distraction has been put aside.
“However, how I wish that we got to this point devoid of the acrimony, the bitterness, the resource hemorrhage, the bickering, the time wasted. How I wish that rather than dissipate energy through avoidable litigation, we had all resolved what is a disagreement among brothers through discussion, consultation and unity of purpose. How I wish all of us had submitted to the Supreme will of Allah than succumb to our ego and personal fantasies,” he said.
He also hailed the judiciary over the judgement, however, he decried that unbridled litigation continues to wreak incalculable havoc on politics, social consciousness and economic progress.
“As a constitutionalist who has stood with the law at critical moments in our country’s history, I will be the first to admit that the framers of our constitution did not err by coopting judicial intervention as part and parcel of the electoral process.
“It is the epitome of our Doctrine of Separation of Powers that gives confidence to the aggrieved not to resort to self-help. It ensures constitutional and social harmony.
“However, I wish to state, with every sense of responsibility, that unbridled litigation continues to wreak incalculable havoc on our body politics, social consciousness and economic progress. More importantly, it gives a segment of the populace a false sense of indignation just as it unnecessarily polarizes the society. In all sincerity, I do not think it pays to continue this way.
“Now that the tribunal has ruled, it is my candid opinion that it is time to set aside whatever misgivings we may have and move on. The task ahead of us is enormous, requiring unity of purpose, a polling together of resources, integration of talents and leveraging the unique attributes of each of the contestants, as we seek to create a better society for our people.
“Against the above background, I solemnly invite my worthy opponents, each of whom is an unqualified success in his own right, to sheath their swords, and to join me in the collective quest to harness the enormous resources of the state to create a modern economy that would benefit everyone within Bauchi State, Nigeria’s pearl of tourism,” he added.
Meanwhile traders in some popular markets in the city of Kano quickly closed their shops and rushed home hoursafter the Kano governorship election tribunal sacked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf,
The declaration led to abrupt suspension of trading activities in markets in Sabon Gari, Kantin Kwari, and Singer markets, where traders rushed home for fear of attacks by supporters of the various political parties involved in the litigations
Techrectory with Agency Report.
