.. As Tribunal Gives APC A Nod To Inspect Guber Election Materials
From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
The last may not have been heard of the gubernatorial election in Kano state as the state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has taken their grievances to the governorship election Tribunal, insisting that the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was not eligible to contest the election.
The APC lawyers in their petition to the Tribunal sitting on Miller Road, maintained that the NNPP governorship candidate was not a member of the party even before flagging the NNPP banner as its gubernatorial candidate, as his name was missing in the party register submitted to INEC.
The AUTHORITY reports that the APC petition was filled before the Tribunal through its registry on 9 April, 2023.
According to the Petitioner in its five-volume petition, the name of the governor-elect, Abba Kabir Yusuf popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida, “is not on the list of NNPP register that is in INEC’s custody.”
APC further stated, through the petition, that, “prior to the governorship election polls held on March 18th2023, the NNPP candidate had failed to meet the requisite party membership conditions, therefore was not qualified to contest in the governorship elections on the platform of the NNPP.”
APC is also requesting the Tribunal to annul the electoral mandate of Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf on the grounds that APC secured majority of lawful votes during the governorship election.
The Petitioner further urged the Court to admit the number of unlawful votes as void , and so take into account the deduction of the number of the unlawful votes , then reliant on the margin that would be left to declare the Kano governorship election as inconclusive.
The AUTHORITY reports that the respondents: NNPP, its governorship candidate and INEC have 21 days to respond to the issues raised by the petitioner.
Meanwhile, the Tribunal has granted the APC an exparte motion to inspect the governorship election materials, as part of the build to pursue their case against NNPP before the court.
The legal adviser, APC Kano chapter, Abdul Adamu Fagge confirmed that the APC team have commenced the inspection of the affected electoral materials in all the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him, “the inspection exercise is running smoothly with support from all the relevant parties that are involved in the matter.”
He expressed confidence that there are no hitches would stop the exercise.
According to him, APC’s team of lawyers have been granted access to all materials so far, “the party would pursue the matter to legal conclusion.”
