January 12, 2024 NewsOrient

There has been great jubilation in the city of Kano since the Supreme Court, earlier today, reversed judgements by the Court of Appeal and Election Petitions Tribunal which sacked Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State.

Residents were seen celebrating in groups and jumping joyfully as they openly sang praises of the governor.

Delivering final judgement today, Friday, on the election petition, Justice John Okoro, who led the panel, said the Court of Appeal was wrong in affirming the decision of the tribunal, which held that Yusuf did not win the majority of lawful votes cast in the governorship election of March 18, 2023.

The apex court raised two issues: whether the lower court was right in deducting 165,616 from the votes the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced for the governor and whether the lower court could determine the issue of party membership.

In the judgement, Justice Okoro held that the tribunal was wrong in deducting 165,616 votes accrued to Yusuf in the election on grounds that the ballot papers were not signed and stamped by officials of INEC.

The learned justices said “Section 71 of the Electoral Act relied upon by the tribunal to deduct the disputed votes does not apply in the instant case.”

~ NewsOrient