The Appeal Court has fixed today for judgments in the appeals emanating from the election petitions tribunal of Kano State and Bauchi state.
It was gathered that the court will rule on the appeals filed by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, his party the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) challenging the judgment of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which had removed the governor and declared Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the authentic winner.
Recall that a three-man panel of judges led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay sacked Yusuf on September 20, by declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid because they were not signed or stamped by the INEC.
The governor’s votes were then reduced to 853,939 while those of Gawuna remained at 890,705.
Reacting, Governor Yusuf rejected the tribunal verdict, describing it as “unfair” and “a miscarriage of justice.”
-Advertisement-
At the appellate court, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), counsel for Yusuf, asked that the judgement of the tribunal be set aside. He said this is the first time in history that a tribunal would annul an election over non-signing of the back of ballot papers.
READ ALSO: Appeal Court sacks Zamfara governor, Lawal
He also said the tribunal erred, arguing that, that was the first time that a political party would file a matter without joining its candidate as a party in the petition and the candidate would be declared winner of the polls.
But Akin Olujimi (SAN), counsel for APC, countered saying the Appeal Court stated emphatically that the non-signing of ballots amounted to electoral malpractice.
The appellate court had after the hearing reserved judgement.
We do everything possible to supply quality news and information to all our valuable readers day in, day out and we are committed to keep doing this.
Your kind donation will help our continuous research efforts.
-Advertisement-
-Want to get the news as it breaks?-
