Reversing the decision of the Court of Appeal and the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which sacked the governor, Supreme Court has upheld the election of Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf.
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, this was according to Justice John Okoro, who read the lead Judgement.
In determining the case, the apex court raised two issues, whether the lower court was right in deducting 165,616 from the votes the Independent National Electoral Commission 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.
Justice John Okoro added that Section 71 of the Electoral Act relied upon by the tribunal to deduct the disputed votes does not apply in the instant case.
Kano residents celebrates shouting, Kano say Abba!!!
