The Supreme Court has scheduled the pronouncement of its judgement in the Kano State governorship election appeal for Friday, January 12, 2024.
Additionally, it is anticipated that the apex court will address six other governorship disputes on the same day, unless there is an unexpected change in plans.
The Supreme Court had previously reserved its judgement on governorship election cases in Plateau, Delta, and Abia States.
The secretary of the legal team representing the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Barrister Bashir Tudun Wuzirci, officially confirmed this development in a statement to the online newspaper, Newspoint Nigeria, on Wednesday night.
He disclosed, “Yes, it is officially confirmed. They have told us to appear on Friday for the judgement. They told us that each party should not have more than two counsels in attendance. This, they said, is because they will be delivering seven judgements on that same Friday.”
The case in question involves the Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and his party NNPP, who lodged an appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision that affirmed his removal, as initially declared by the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
Recalling the events, the Tribunal had ousted Governor Yusuf and instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to retract his certificate of return, directing it instead to Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
Unsatisfied with the Tribunal’s ruling, Governor Yusuf pursued the matter to the Appeal Court.
However, the appellate court, while upholding his removal, additionally asserted that the governor was not a member of the party at the time of the election, thereby questioning the validity of his candidacy.
