John Shiklam in Kaduna
A group of lawyers, supporting the Governor of Kano state, Abba Kabir Yusauf has appealed to the Supreme Court Justices to resist any form of external interference in the Kano governorship appeal before them.
Addressing a press conference yesterday in Kaduna, the lawyers, under the aegis of “Abba Yusuf Kabir lawyers forum in the 19 Northern states and Abuja,”said the recent appeal court decision, affirming the nullification of Kabir’s election as governor of Kano state, “is a clear case of miscarriage of justice.”
The appellate court had on November 17, affirmed the judgment of the election petition tribunal which sacked Kabir as the winner of the March 18, 2023, governorship election in the state.
Kabir is challenging the judgment of the appellate court at the Supreme Court.
However, the spokesperson of the lawyers, Yusuf Ado Ibrahim, said during the press conference that his group was “hopeful that the apex court would do the right thing devoid of any sentiments…”
He called for the amendment of the Electoral Act to address certain anomalies in the judiciary system to save democracy.
He said: “Pre-election matters must be seen to be addressed as no longer litigable issues after the winner of an election has been declared. The attempts by the court to conclude upon their findings to declare politicians, as winners must also be divested of such powers.
“At best, order a re-run in the areas. The dangers are that, if this trends should proceed without being checkmated, then there would no longer be need for open balloting and casting of votes by the general electorate as their mandate would be taken over by those who know the ‘rules of the game’ and of course, it will no longer be a matter of who won the election at the general voting posts.”
Speaking further, Ibrahim said:“We believe honestly in the powers of true democratic system and are still optimistic in the judicial system so much so that we admit the fallibility of our justices as humans.
“We are hopeful that the apex court would do the right thing devoid of any sentiments and paying able and competent attention to happenings in the just delivered judgments.
“It is our optimism that the lot of the common man in Kano State will be protected and the yearnings of our people respected.
“We strongly believe that the apex Court will do justice by affirming and categorically stating that the duly elected governor of Kano State is His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf, whose adequate votes were cast by the populist approval of the people of Kano State.
“And on this hope, we volunteer as private legal practitioners across the 19 Northern States of this country to participate in solidarity for His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, to represent the Truth in the fight to reclaim his mandate and that of the people of Kano State…”
Ibrahim called on the “Supreme Court to resist any form of external interference either from the Executive or any other body to protect the image of the judiciary and uphold the rule of law.”
The group also called on President Bola Tinubu, “to respect the rule of law and resist the temptation to operate a one party system in Nigeria.”
