Prominent figures in politics and civil society are urging President Bola Tinubu to gracefully accept the results of the recent Kano state governorship election for the sake of Nigeria’s stability and unity.
In a roundtable discussion led by Chief Oguntade Omolewa of the Forum for National Integration and Development, elders advised Tinubu against pursuing legal action to overturn the Kano election results. The opposition candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), emerged victorious, defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja is set to deliver judgment on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s appeal challenging his removal by the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal. Justice Oluyemi Osadebay’s panel had invalidated 165,663 votes due to lack of signature or stamp by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), reducing Yusuf’s votes to 853,939 while Gawuna retained his 890,705 votes.
During the event, Omolewa emphasized, “We implore President Tinubu to prioritize inclusive politics and national cohesion over division.”
Civil society leader Moshood Shittu, a former presidential candidate of the defunct Alliance National Party, reminded Tinubu of his legacy as an opposition figure who governed Lagos State despite PDP’s federal dominance. Shittu urged the appellate court to consider national interest and security in their judgment on Kano.
He stated, “We wouldn’t want a political crisis in Kano, hence our call for discretion and intelligence in dispensing justice. The people of Kano voted massively for NNPP Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf during the 2023 governorship elections.”
