The Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting at Miller Road, Bompai, Kano, has fixed Wednesday for delivery of its judgement on the petition filed by Nasir Gawuna and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), challenging the declaration of Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as the winner of the state’s March 18 governorship election.
The Tribunal, on Monday, announced the date for the judgement in a hearing notice sent to the two parties.
Our Correspondent reports that tension has continued to build in the state over what would be the outcome of the tribunal verdict.
Supporters of the ruling NNPP have engaged in a week-long prayer session seeking God’s intervention on the verdict.
More so, the state government recently sacked two appointed officials, following alleged “unguided” statements against the judges of the tribunal.
Though Kano remains calm and peaceful, supporters of APC and NNPP in the state are tension-soaked as the tribunal is set to deliver judgment.
However, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Usuani Gumel had at different times, invited leaders of the two political parties to a peace parley, appealing to them on the need to accept the tribunal verdict in good faith and allow peace reign in the state.
Leaders of both parties have promised security agencies that their supporters would embrace peace and accept whatever would be the outcome of the tribunal verdict.
However, CP Gumel has warned that police would not condone any act of violence by supporters of both parties, following the announcement of the date for the delivery of the verdict of the tribunal.
He maintained that police have worked out modalities to avert any breach of the peace in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Abba Yusuf the winner of the Kano March 18 governorship election.
Yusuf defeated Gawuna of the APC with 1,019,602 votes to 890,705 votes.
However, the APC candidate had gone to court, alleging that the elections were marred by malpractices.
In his final address, Counsel to the APC, Offiong Offiong (SAN) had urged the tribunal to expunge over 130,000 ballot papers used to declare Yusuf as governor from the votes scored by the NNPP candidate to declare his client winner of the election. He also called 29 witnesses.
But Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), counsel to Governor Yusuf asked the tribunal to dismiss all the 29 witnesses called by the petitioners and to uphold the victory of his client in the election
CREDIT: PM NEWS
