Certified Copy of Appeal Court Judgment Shocks Kano: Abba Yusuf Validated as Governor!

Following the unveiling of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Court of Appeal’s judgment on the Kano governorship election, the state finds itself embroiled in perplexity. The three-member appeal court panel, on Friday, November 17, dismissed Governor Abba Yusuf’s appeal based on his membership status. Subsequently, the appellate court affirmed Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the victor of the March 25, 2023, gubernatorial poll in Kano.

Contradicting the widely reported verdict that seemingly upheld the petition tribunal’s decision to remove Governor Yusuf, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Isa-Dederi, argued that the CTC of the judgment validated Yusuf’s victory in the polls.

Isa-Dederi revealed this during a press conference on Tuesday night, emphasizing that the written judgment indicated the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of the Kano Election Petition Tribunal’s decision as lacking in merit. He pinpointed page 67 of the CTC, signed by Registrar Jameel Ibrahim Umar, asserting that it upheld Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party as the duly elected Governor of Kano.

Highlighting the discrepancy between the public courtroom reading on November 17 and the written evidence, the Commissioner stressed that the CTC vindicated Yusuf as the legitimate governor of the state. In the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein concluded, “I will resolve the live issues in this appeal in favor of the first respondent and against the appellant.” This unexpected turn in the CTC has created a storm of confusion and debate across Kano State.