The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reversed course and decided not to pursue an appeal against the removal of Abba Kabir Yusuf as governor of Kano State.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal invalidated the electoral umpire’s ruling that Abba Yusuf had won the state’s March 18 election.
The tribunal also pronounced Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the candidate for the All Progressive Congress (APC), the winner of the election and ordered the Commission to give him a Certificate of Return.
INEC’s Appeal Withdrawal in Kano Gubernatorial Election Takes a Twist
In a letter to the Secretary of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, the INEC stated that it had no justification for appealing the tribunal’s decision to dismiss Abba Yusuf.
The letter was signed on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) by Suleiman Alkali, Head of Department (HOD), Legal, INEC.
In the letter, the electoral umpire claimed that it had received instructions from its national office to revoke the appeal and all related procedures.
The letter said, “I have been instructed by the Commission headquarters that INEC as an umpire have no reason to appeal any Judgement.
“Consequently, the National Commissioner in charge of Legal Services and National Commissioner in charge of Kano zone are directed that the Appeal be withdrawn, and all processes for all Appeals should be forwarded to the Kano Office.”
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Below is a copy of the letter that PM News claims to have seen.
In the meantime, Governor Yusuf has appealed the Tribunal’s decision to the Appeal Court in Kano on 42 grounds, asking for its annulment.
He has hired Chief Wole Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to help him recapture his “victory.”
Bode Olanipekun (SAN), Ibrahim G. Waru, and Akintola Makinde are following Olanipekun in the Notice of Appeal filed on Friday. Wole Olanipekun & Co. is the law firm representing Governor Yusuf in the Appellate Court.
Chief E.O.B. Offiong (APC) is still the APC’s counsel, nevertheless.
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