In Abuja, the Court of Appeal has invalidated the election of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in Kano State. Previously, a three-judge panel led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay nullified Yusuf’s victory on September 20, 2023, citing 165,663 votes as invalid due to a lack of signatures or stamps from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Consequently, Governor Yusuf’s vote count, secured under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), was reduced to 853,939, while Nasir Ganuwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) maintained 890,705 votes. The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Court then declared Ganuwa as the rightful winner of the March 18 poll.
Governor Yusuf appealed the decision, aiming to overturn the lower court’s verdict. The Appeal Court, in its ruling, affirmed the tribunal’s decision, asserting that Governor Yusuf was ineligible to contest the election. The court stated that Yusuf was not a member of NNPP when the elections took place.
Justice Moore Adumein delivered the unanimous judgment, prompting exuberant celebrations that resonated throughout the court for several minutes