Protesters on Wednesday trooped out on the streets of Kano over the judgment which sacked Governor Abba Yusuf.

The police tried hard to disperse the protesters who chanted: “We Want Justice.”

The lower court had declared 165,663 votes of Yusuf, who contested under the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), invalid on the grounds that they were not signed or stamped by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Last week, an Appeal Court panel had upheld the verdict of the tribunal led by Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay which sacked Yusuf on September 20, 2023.

The governor’s votes were then reduced to 853,939 while those of Nasir Ganuwa, his All Progressives Congress (APC) rival, remained at 890,705.

The appellate court subsequently affirmed Gawuna as winner of March 25th, 2023 Governorship poll in Kano.

Governor Yusuf had asked his lawyers to file an appeal at the Supreme Court. However, when the Certified True Copies of the judgment was released, page 67 of the document indicated that the tribunal’s ruling that sacked Governor Yusuf was set aside.

In the lead judgment delivered by Moore Adumein, the judge held in one of the concluding paragraphs on Page 68 that “I will conclude by stating that the live issues in this appeal are hereby resolved in favour of the 1st respondent and against the appellant.” 

The issue had triggered confusion, with the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and APC claiming victory.

Amid the confusion, some youths stormed the streets, saying there were attempts to rob Governor Yusuf of the mandate freely given to him.

Police succeeded in dispersing some of the protesters with teargas but others were adamant.

Daily Trust