Confusion as CTC of Appeal Court verdict affirms Abba Yusuf, slams N1M fine on APC
Despite its Friday ruling affirming the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal’s decision, the certified authentic copy of the Court of Appeal’s decision revealed that the appellate court had overturned the lower tribunal’s decision.
The Court of Appeal affirmed the tribunal’s decision on Friday, crowning APC candidate Nasiru Gawuna the victor of the state’s governorship race.
However, when the court released the certified authentic copy of the judgment on Tuesday, our reporter noticed a number of contradicting claims in the judgment.
The appellate court went on to award the NNPP N1,000,0000 in costs in contrast to the APC’s Friday pronouncement.
In one case, the appellate court stated, “I will conclude by stating that the live issues in this appeal are hereby resolved in favor of the first respondent (APC) and against the appellant (Governor Abba Yusuf),” but then contradicted itself in the next phrase.
The court went on to say: “In the circumstances, I resolve all the issues in favour of the appellant (NNPP) and against the 1st respondent (APC).”
The court went on to say, “Therefore, I find no merit in this appeal, which is liable to be and is hereby dismissed.”
However, in the penultimate line of the decision, the court overturned the tribunal’s decision, which had terminated the governor.
“The tribunal’s decision” The CTC of the judgment read, “In Petition No.: EPT/KN/GOV/01/2023 between: ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) v. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION & 2 ORS. delivered on the 20th day of September, 2023 is hereby set aside.”
On September 20, the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal fired the governor and proclaimed the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate Nasiru Gawuna, winner of the March 18 governorship election.
Dissatisfied with the lower tribunal’s verdict, the governor requested the appellate court to overturn it through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun.
The court of appeals, however, ruled unanimously on Friday that the governor was not a valid candidate in the March 18 gubernatorial election.
(Credit: Daily Nigerian)