Mass Protests in Kano, As the Appeal Court Clarifies That Governor Abbas Remains Sacked

Kano State has recorded massive protests by supporters of Governor Abba Yusuf, following the confusion created by the certified true copy of the judgment of the appeal court, which sacked the governor.

Angry supporters of the governor blocked and made bonfires on roads in Kano metropolis. Armed policemen who had been on standby for the protests fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

The fresh crisis was triggered by the state justice commissioner, who said the certified true copy of the judgment of the appeal court confirmed that the governor was validly elected in the March 18 governorship poll.

Last Friday, the appellate court sacked the governor and declared his main challenger in the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the poll.

The registrar of the court of appeal, Umaru Bangari, making clarification on Wednesday night, said the judgment delivered last Friday sacking the governor remains unchanged.

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He blamed the discrepancies in the certified true copy of the Friday judgment on typographical errors, which would be rectified properly once a formal application had been filed by the litigants in the case.

Meanwhile, the governor has headed to the Supreme Court to challenge the Friday judgment removing him from office.

In the last week, the appellate court sacked three governors that INEC declared winners in the March 2023 poll. All the three governors sacked by the appellate court are in opposition parties.

In Zamfara, the appellate court sacked Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when it declared the poll inconclusive about eight months later. The court ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in three local government areas of the state. PDP’s Lawal and APC’s Bello Matawalle are the major contenders in the race.

On Sunday, the appellate court sacked PDP’s Caleb Mutfwang in Plateau State and ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to APC’s Nentawe Goshwe. The court held that the party violated the court order that a valid congress be conducted in the 17 local government areas of that state.