Tribunal Sacks Kano Governor, Declares Petitioner Winner

The Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal has sacked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the winner of the March 18 election.

On Wednesday, the three-man panel ordered the withdrawal of the certificate of return issued to Governor Yusuf by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The certificate will now be issued to Yusuf Gawuna of the APC, according to the judgment transmitted virtually via Zoom.

The APC had challenged the election of 60-year-old Kabir Yusuf. Gawuna, the APC candidate in the election was the anointed candidate of the immediate former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and current APC National Chairman.

Kabir Yusuf on the other hand was the anointed candidate of Ganduje’s political rival, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is also a former governor of the state.

In the petition, the APC asked the tribunal to nullify the victory of Kabir Yusuf on the grounds that the election was conducted in violation of the Electoral Act 2022, among others.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the NNPP and Governor Kabir Yusuf as the respondents were listed as the respondents in the petition.

On Wednesday, the tribunal agreed with the arguments presented by the APC that there were irregularities and substantial non-compliance with electoral laws during the election